2 people are dead and 2 other individuals injured following an explosion in a farm field in rural Lee County Tuesday morning.
The incident took place at around 9 in the 1600 block of Nachusa Road near Route 38 between Franklin Grove and Dixon.
Lee County Sheriff's Police report that farm workers had been installing field tile and a tractor pulling a tiling plow became stuck in the mud. Another tractor tried to pull the first tractor out. The second tractor then began to lose traction in the field. That's when the natural gas line was struck and the large explosion occurred. The 20-inch pipe line was buried about 4 to 5 feet underground.
Emergency personnel found 2 people dead at the scene and 2 other individuals were taken by ambulance to KSB Hospital in Dixon. They were later transported to OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford for treatment of their injuries. One person is listed in critical condtion while the other was stable.
Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline System was the owner of the pipeline that was struck. An investigation involving the explosion will be done by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Windy conditions yesterday prevented the fire from damaging nearby homes in rural Lee County.
There was a second pipeline in the field, but it was not damaged.
The names of the 2 people killed and the 2 people injured are not being released at this time until family members are notified about the incident.
An autopsy is scheduled today in Lee County on the 2 bodies. Dental records will be needed to make a positive identification.
