Long Grove, Ill, explosion levels 1 home, damages 50 others

An apparent gas leak explosion in Long Grove, Ill., injured two people, leveled one home and damaged 50 others in the northwest suburb of Chicago. The explosion took place Friday night and could be felt from miles away. It blew out windows in neighbors' homes and shot flames several feet high in the air. Insulation from the home could be found as far away as half a mile. "It's a miracle that nobody had life-threatening injuries or got killed," said Countryside Fire Protection District Chief Jeff Steingart. "That's what makes this just unimaginable ... that somebody lives." The owner of the home was crossing the street walking away from the home as it exploded. She suffered scratches, Steingart said. Firefighters are investigating the cause of the explosion, but believe it may have been caused by a gas leak.