The investigation continues after an explosion destroyed a Jacksonville home, and two residents were evacuated with injuries.
The incident occurred on Friday, around 4:50 pm, at a home located on E. Morton Ave, next door to Maxamillions Video Poker & Slots. James Lomelino was visiting his Uncle, who owns Lomelino Signs nearby. He recounts the moment they witnessed the blast. “We were out in his parking lot talking. You know where it is, about 100 yards away or so. All a sudden, just the biggest boom and flash of light,” he says. “It shook everything. It looked like something out of a movie. There was shrapnel in the air. Debris. A big dust cloud.”
He says their first instinct was to run and see if anyone was inside the home. “I jumped in my truck and drove down there. Aaron, my uncle, ran down there. We started yelling. We could hear faint voices yelling back,” Lomelino recalls. “So, my Uncle ran to the backside of the house. He was in contact with them, but there was no way to get to them. The gas was blowing like crazy. you could hear it.”
Police, fire crews, and EMS arrived at the scene. Lamelino says that it felt like 30 minutes from the time of the explosion to the time the two residents were evacuated. The two were taken to Jacksonville Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Springfield Trauma Center. We do not have an update on the extent of their injuries at this time. The home was completely destroyed.
Management at Maxamillion said looters, unfortunately, had taken advantage of the situation, but they weren’t sure if anything had been stolen for certain. They added that their business’s air conditioning unit had been tampered with as well. Volunteers have been on-site since Saturday morning, assisting with pet rescues, cleanup, and salvaging whatever items may be left. Several members of Presbyterian Daycare, where both the victims work, showed up to help. Others joined the effort, rescuing two cats. Two of the three dogs survived the blast and are being treated at a vet, along with two of the three cats.
Police ask that people avoid the area as they investigate. The area is now under surveillance of the JPD police trailer.