'It felt like an earthquake!': Explosion 'levels' chemical plant near Chicago leaving four in hospital
- Specialty Silicones plant in Waukegan, Illinois, was 'leveled' in blast at 9.45pm
- Not yet known how many people were inside but four were taken to hospital
- Local residents said explosion 'felt like earthquake' and shook houses for miles
An explosion at a chemical plant near Chicago last night has left four people in the hospital.
The AB Specialty Silicones plant in Waukegan, Illinois, was 'leveled' by the blast at around 9.45pm, reports the Chicago Tribune.
Waukegan Fire Department spokesperson Steve Lenzi said they were trying to find out how many people were inside the factory at the time of the incident.
He said that the cause of the explosion is not yet known.
Firefighters are battling a blaze at a chemical plant in Waukegan, Illinois. Pictured: the fire from above
The AB Specialty Silicones plant was reportedly leveled by the blast at around 9.45pm
Debris can be seen scattered across the roads nearby. Local residents said houses shook for miles around
Local resident Megan Hener, who went to the scene, claimed the building was 'leveled'.
Twitter users living nearby said the blast shook houses for miles around.
One wrote: 'Huge explosion across the street from me, my friend over 10 miles away said he heard it... felt like an earthquake.'
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The Lake County Sheriff's office have asked residents living nearby to avoid the area on Twitter.
They wrote: 'Fire, police, and paramedic personnel are working diligently at this scene.
'Again, please stay out of the area and let the first-responders work.'
Four people have been left in the hospital, but it is not known how many people were in the plant at the time
