Cleanup underway after explosion, fire destroys Berwyn BP gas station on Ogden Avenue
Share this @internewscast.com

The cleanup efforts have begun in Berwyn, Ill., as investigators look into a large explosion that demolished a gas station and impacted nearby residences and businesses.

Cellphone video captured the devastation mere moments after the gas station exploded.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

It happened in the western suburb around 3:45 p.m. Thursday in the 6700-block of Ogden Avenue.

Emergency services were already present in the area addressing multiple downed power lines, a result of the thunderstorms passing through.

That’s when two main gas lines at the gas station ignited.

Berwyn Fire Chief Kris Coniglio explained that a power line striking concrete ignited a gas main beneath an alley, sparking a fire behind the BP and extending to a nearby cleaners about a block away.

Minutes later they exploded without warning, leveling the gas station and damaging nearby homes and businesses.

The force of the blast was so strong that it shattered the windows of Novi’s Beef, a restaurant across the street, and other buildings nearby.

“The roof shot about two-three hundred feet in the air and then it just came down,” Novi’s Beef manager Tom Zednik said. “It just shook us and thank God we have double pane glass, because our windows shattered instantly.”

Other witnesses also described the scary situation.

“It started off as a small little fire behind the gas station. Everyone got out, that I saw,” witness Michelle Donnamario said. “They were evacuating the house, right there, and then I turned around and went inside then the huge boom. And my neighbors said it looked like a nuke went off.”

Ben Ceyer and his workers at his Weimer Machine watched as firefighters contained the two fires while evacuating nearby homes and two employees and a customer from the gas station.

“The thing is God was watching all of us because as far as I know there were no fatalities, there are no injuries,” Ceyer said. “Even though we got hit with the debris, myself, my son and my employees, because we are all out there watching this and nobody got hurt.

It’s expected there’ll be more cleanup Friday as the neighborhood as the investigation into incident continues.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Lori Vallow Daybell receives additional life sentences in Arizona, ending legal saga

Lori Vallow Daybell Sentenced to More Life Terms in Arizona, Concluding Legal Battle

PHOENIX (AP) — Lori Vallow Daybell received a life sentence on Friday…
Venezuelan Little League team denied travel visas to US for World Series

Venezuelan Little League Team’s U.S. World Series Journey Halted by Visa Denial

A Little League baseball team from Venezuela has been refused entry visas…
Person filming abandoned Japanese hotel overlooking other buildings.

Eerie City of Deserted Hotels: A Once-Popular Tourist Destination Left Frozen in Time with Untouched Drinks on Tables

A GHOST city full of eerie, abandoned hotels has stood untouched in…
George Santos set to begin 7-year prison term for fraud

George Santos to Start 7-Year Prison Sentence for Fraud

It’s unclear where he’ll serve his time, though a federal judge has…
Shooting near Bradford High leaves father of suspect's children dead

Fatal Shooting Near Bradford High: Suspect’s Children’s Father Killed

A shooting near Bradford High School leaves a man dead, with Mindy…
9-year-old dies at Hersheypark's The Boardwalk water park: 'Our deepest condolences'

Tragic Incident at Hersheypark’s The Boardwalk: 9-Year-Old Passes Away – ‘We Offer Our Heartfelt Sympathies’

A 9-year-old child died on Thursday after visiting Hersheypark’s water park in…
South Carolina dance teacher arrested after questionable routine uncovers serious allegations

South Carolina Dance Instructor’s Routine Leads to Uncovering Serious Allegations

A dance teacher from South Carolina was taken into custody following an…
Chicago, Illinois severe weather today: Flash Flood Warning for Cook, DuPage counties, funnel clouds reported near Ottawa | Radar

Severe Weather Alert in Chicago: Flash Flood Warnings Issued for Cook and DuPage Counties with Funnel Clouds Spotted Near Ottawa | See Radar Updates

CHICAGO (WLS) — Funnel clouds have been reported and there is Flash…
Disgraced former US Rep. George Santos to begin serving his 7-year fraud sentence

Former U.S. Representative George Santos to Start 7-Year Prison Term for Fraud Convictions

NEW YORK — Former U.S. Representative George Santos, who was previously removed…
The Wailing Over Stephen Colbert’s ‘Cancellation’ Is Blasted Into Confetti by Another Paramount Contract

Stephen Colbert’s So-Called ‘Cancellation’: New Paramount Deal Disproves Rumors

There’s a reason for the quotation marks around “cancellation.” Stephen Colbert isn’t…
Photo of Kelyan Bokassa.

14-Year-Old Fatally Stabbed 27 Times on School Bus; Teen Perpetrators Sentenced

A BOY cried “I want my mum” as he was stabbed 27…
Wisconsin student Eliotte Heinz’s autopsy shows no foul play suspected in death: police

Police Report: No Suspicion of Foul Play in the Death of Wisconsin Student Eliotte Heinz, Autopsy Reveals

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Authorities have determined that there was no foul…