Five Injured In Madison County Home Explosion Accident on Fairmont Avenue

Unsafe Premises - July 4, 2025

Three Children Among Five Injured After Home Explosion Along Fairmont Avenue

MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS (July 4, 2025) – A family of five were injured in a Madison County home explosion accident at a property on Fairmont Avenue.

Madison County officials are saying that the accident took place early Monday morning. A mother, father, and three children were inside the home when it suddenly exploded.

The force of the blast caused extensive damage to the property and injured multiple family members. Paramedics were called to the house on Fairmont Avenue to help the victims.

All five people were transported to the hospital, though one of the three children has since been released. Relatives told journalists that the family had concerns about gas at the property.

Samantha Romero is one of the victim’s nieces. She said that the gas company informed the family that the property was safe as far as gas was concerned.

A full investigation into the Madison County home explosion remains ongoing at this time.

Liability for Madison County Home Explosions

Gas leaks remain one of the leading causes of home explosions in the United States. According to PIRG, “From 2010 through nearly the end of 2021, almost 2,600 pipeline incidents related to the release of gas occurred in the United States that were serious enough to be reported to the federal government, 328 of which resulted in explosions. Those explosions and fires killed 122 people and injured 603.” Gas companies should take a number of measures to prevent home explosions.

Regular Inspections: Gas companies should conduct regular inspections on all of their pipelines, meters, and valves. They should check for signs of corrosion that could potentially contribute to a leak.
Maintenance: Gas companies should perform routine maintenance to prevent potentially small problems from becoming larger and more dangerous.
Leak Detection: Gas companies can use advanced technologies, such as remote sensors, drones, and smart meters to identify leaks and shut off the gas before they become dangerous.
Proper Installation: Gas companies should ensure that all gas appliances are properly fitted and correctly installed.

Gas companies have a legal obligation to maintain all of their equipment and premises in a reasonably safe condition. This will necessitate that they take proactive steps to check their gas lines for corrosion and other potential issues. When a gas company has actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition on a customer’s property, they must take action. If a gas company knew (or should have known) that their equipment was in a dangerous condition and failed to act, this could form the basis of a liability claim in the event of an accident.

A number of gas companies have faced lawsuits after people were injured at properties they supplied gas to. Consider, for example, Metz v. Central Illinois Electric & Gas Co. (1965). A plaintiff was injured in a home explosion. Attorneys for the plaintiff argued that the Illinois Supreme Court should apply the doctrine res ipsa loquitur. This is a legal principle wherein the occurrence of an accident implies negligence. The court reasons that since the gas main was owned and maintained by the utility provider and gas explosions don’t normally occur without negligence, that negligence could be inferred. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any gas accident.

Medical records related to any injuries should be collected.
Witnesses with information about the explosion should be interviewed.
The source of the explosion should be determined.
The maintenance records of the gas lines around the home should be reviewed.

It can be hard to know where to begin after any gas explosion. These incidents often leave victims with very serious injuries. Of course, these accidents routinely destroy the victim’s only home in the process. To make matters worse, gas companies will often do everything in their power to deny responsibility after any accident involving their equipment. That is why it is so important that these incidents are properly investigated by an outside party. Any person injured in a home explosion may have legal recourse through a civil claim.

Investigating Illinois Home Explosion Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to all the people injured in this Madison County home explosion. Any person who may have more information should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. Many questions remain unanswered at this time. When was the last time the gas lines in this home were inspected?

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Madison County home explosion? You may have legal recourse. Our team of personal injury attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We are committed to getting accident victims the medical support and financial compensation that they need to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or would like a risk-free investigation into any accident, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.