Tragedy recently struck Illinois when a natural gas pipeline exploded at a farm. Two workers were tragically killed in the work-related accident, and two others suffered serious injuries. The explosion also caused a serious fire that took several hours to get under control.
At approximately 9 a.m. on Dec. 5, 2017, the farm workers were apparently attempting to move a tractor that had become stuck while laying down field tile. During their attempts to free the vehicle, they accidentally hit a buried pipeline used to transport natural gas, which caused the explosion. The two workers who suffered fatal injuries appeared to have died while still at the scene. The other two workers were initially taken to an area hospital, but their injuries were so severe that they had to be transported to a trauma center for treatment.
A witness claims that he spotted the flames from his home, which is approximately one mile away from the explosion site. He also claimed that the heat from the fire could be felt as far as a quarter of a mile away. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire several hours later, but only after the company that maintains the pipelines shut off the gas supply.
Workplace dangers are not always obvious, and many Illinois workers remain unaware of the risks they face when they are on the job. Unfortunately, many employers fail to adequately inform workers of these dangers or provide sufficient training, which can lead to injury or even death. Individuals who are victims a work-related accident can usually get the compensation they need for injuries and lost wages through workers’ compensation benefits. Although this does not erase any of the damage, these benefits are often essential to achieving the best possible recovery.
Source: wqad.com, “Two killed, two seriously injured in Lee County pipeline explosion“, Dec. 5, 2017
