Lebanon, IL – A natural gas explosion started a fire at a building in Lebanon, Illinois Friday night, firefighters said.
Firefighters were on the scene at the Edward Jones building on W. St. Louis Street. The building appears to have suffered significant damage. No one was inside when the fire broke out.
Authorities said a man was inside the Lebanon Chiropractic Clinic next door but he escaped the flames.
An apartment where a single father of two lives was heavily damaged. Nobody was home when the explosion happened. A GoFundMe page has been created to help him and his family.
The first block of W. St. Louis Street is closed because the building is leaning out towards the street and firefighters are worried about a possible collapse.
Nearby residents said they smelled gas before the explosion.
Officials said no one was injured in the fire.