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An explosion rocked Friday night parts of an Illinois city, killing four people and killing three, officials said.
The explosion occurred at AB Specialty Silicones at Waukegan, about 40 miles north of Chicago, the police said. L & # 39; Company describes itself as a manufacturer of specialty silicone chemicals.
"The catastrophic explosion" took place around 21:30. local time, said the Cmdr. Joe Florip, a spokesman for the Waukegan Police.
Three employees are missing, said Waukegan Fire Marshal Steven Lenzi.
Florip said that he "would categorize this as a massive explosion".
"Many neighboring properties will be damaged," he said.
The fire has been extinguished, and technicians and other hazardous materials teams are on site and are looking for people, Lenzi said. No cause has been determined and the state's fire marshal will participate in an investigation, he said.
Florip said the plant was open at the time of the blast.
Lenzi stated that all concerned were an employee working at the time. Four were taken to hospitals in the area with moderate to severe injuries, officials said. Two others were seen but did not require any treatment.
Damages estimated at $ 1 million
The damage is estimated at more than a million dollars, said Lenzi. The blast touched at least five other buildings nearby.
"Firefighters, police and paramedics are working hard on this scene," Lake County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter. "Please stay away from the area and let the first responders work."
The office had tweeted earlier that he was aware of a "very loud explosion sound" and an "earthquake".
"Although we have not been informed of any particular danger, it is recommended that local residents stay indoors with the windows closed without heating / air conditioning at the present time. "said Joyce Mason, representative of Illinois on Facebook.
The authorities later stated that they were not concerned about the quality of the air or the need to stay there.
Lenzi recalled a "case of fire" over the last 10 years. The factory was "very receptive" and "was cautious after the incident of the previous fire," he said. "We have had no case of code violation or anything of the kind with the factory."
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