Fourth body discovered on the site of the explosion of a plant in Illinois

May 9, 2019, 02:43 UTC / Update May 9, 2019, 3:00 UTC

By Phil Helsel

The body of a worker missing since the explosion of a silicone plant in Illinois has been discovered, authorities said Wednesday, police said Wednesday.

Three more were killed in Friday's explosion at AB Specialty Silicones in Waukegan, north of Chicago. The fourth employee's body was discovered Tuesday night, said the Lake County Coroner at NBC Chicago.

"We would not leave without sending him back to his family," said Howard Cooper, Lake County Coroner.

All other employees were counted.

The cause of the explosion, which occurred around 9:30 pm, is still under investigation, but Waukegan Fire Marshal Steve Lenzi said there was no evidence of a criminal act and was considered an accident.

The identity of the body found on Tuesday has not been unveiled. It was in a more difficult area of ​​access, said Cooper at NBC Chicago.

"I think it was a sense of relief to have been found and that they will be able to move on and find closure," Cooper said.

The other three workers killed are Jeff Cummings, 57, Byron H. Biehn, 53, and Allen Stevens, 29.

There were nine employees in the facility at the time of the blast, officials said.