NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO
gas_distribution Incident — BERWYN, IL — July 24, 2025
Incident Information
| Incident Date | July 24, 2025 |
| Operator | NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | BERWYN |
| State | IL |
| County | COOK |
| Coordinates | 41.82786, -87.79246 |
Cause
| Cause | NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE |
| Subcause | LIGHTNING |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $10,600 |
| Emergency Response | $9,400 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"LIGHTNING STRUCK A UTILITY POLE CAUSING A HIGH-VOLTAGE POWER LINE TO FALL AND ARC THROUGH THE GROUND. THE ELECTRICAL ARC DAMAGED THE GAS MAIN RESULTING IN A RELEASE AND IGNITION. SUBSEQUENTLY, A NEARBY GAS STATION STORE EXPLODED AND A METER SET CAUGHT FIRE. THE DAMAGED GAS MAIN WAS STOPPED TO EXTINGUISH THE NATURAL GAS-FUELED FIRE. THE DAMAGED GAS MAIN WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE GAS SYSTEM TO SECURE THE GAS RELEASE."
About This Pipeline Incident
Pipeline incident data is reported to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). All significant incidents involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage over $50,000 must be reported.