Explosion Kills Frankfort Couple

[M Two One]

Luella and Clyde Reils moved into their Frankfort ranch home on Sycamore Avenue from a tri-level just across the street.

Both in their late 80s, they moved in January after it grew too difficult for them to walk up stairs.

Known as the neighborhood “grandma and grandpa,” the elderly couple died early Saturday morning when their home exploded. The blast scattered debris across the block and and rocked the quiet town. The 5:30 a.m. explosion at 144 Sycamore Lane, near Frankfort’s historic downtown, was so severe the impact could be felt several miles away in neighboring Mokena and Tinley Park.

Natural gas may have built up inside the house, according to Frankfort Police Chief Rob Piscia. Frankfort police, the State Fire Marshal, the Frankfort Fire Department and local utility companies are conducting a joint investigation, which could be lengthy, to determine the exact cause of the explosion.

Firefighters were called out at 5:40 a.m. When they arrived, debris was on fire, according to Frankfort Assistant Fire Chief Larry Rauch.

Nicor Gas received word of the explosion just before 6 a.m. and had emergency crews on the scene before 7 a.m., company spokesman Richard Caragol said. With parts of the rubble aflame, crews could not turn off the gas until about 9:30 a.m.

“The gas is shut off on all the houses in two-block radius,” Rauch said, though the fire department believes the Reils home was the only one that may have been leaking gas. “The gas company will go into each house to be sure it’s safe before they turn the gas back on.”

Source: Southtown Star

This one hits home because I used to live a block down from those people before I moved from Frankfort back in July, that's insane! That photo above also caught my attention because the photographer is the mother of one of my old friends I haven't spoken to in years.

 

[JE]

That's horrible. You knew these people M Two?

 

[huevonkiller]

Tragic story, I am very sorry.

 

[Denny Crane]

I don't know what to make of this horrible story. They put an odor in the gas so it's obvious when it leaks. To have it build up like that means the poor old people must have been dead (thankfully) long before it blew up.

 

[CelticKing]

Very bad news. May they rest in peace.

 

[M Two One]

I didn't know them well, but it is a big shock considering I just moved from there and still work in the area. It is tragic and I feel sorry for their family and closest neighbors. They were nice people.