Excerpts from theHeraldnews.com:

A gas leak caused a home to explode Thursday afternoon in the 14100 block of Parker Road, left two injured and affected the residents of about 12 to 16 homes.

The people hurt in the explosion were taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox and then airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood to be treated for burns, which authorities do not believe are life-threatening, Will County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said.

The Homer Glen Village Hall was filled with evacuated residents Thursday evening. At that time, crews were working to isolate the gas flow and stop the leak. But Nicor issued a statement at 3:31 a.m. Friday saying that the leak had been located and stopped. About 23 customers remained without gas service at the time.

Officials first learned something might be wrong at about 1:30 p.m., when firefighters received a call about a gas problem at 143rd Street and Parker Road, said Todd Fonfara, deputy chief of the Northwest Homer Fire and Ambulance Protection District.

Nicor was called to the area at about 2 p.m., and authorities had already begun evacuations when the home exploded at 4:12 p.m. Fonfara said the home was a total loss.

A GoFundMe campaign has been started for the family at the home where the explosion occurred at www.gofundme.com/homerglenhomeexplosion.

Tags: gas leak causes explosion in Homer Glen, Northwest Homer Fire Protection District, Todd Fonfara