CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois residents may face a higher risk compared to many other states since approximately 80% of them depend on natural gas for heating, hot water, and cooking purposes.
Now, state legislators could make natural gas alarms mandatory. One local woman is sharing her story about an explosion that killed her father.
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Oak Park resident Katie Moody lost her 72-year-old father, Robert, to a natural gas explosion at their lake house in Michigan in 2022.
“Super active, just happy, personable. Everyone enjoyed spending time with him, super active in his church,” Moody shared. “He extended his stay by one day to ski. He adored it there. Had my family not departed, it would have affected my entire family.”
The explosion also leveled the home.
“But my dad was asleep, so he didn’t smell it,” Moody said.
Pictures show the families’ belongings scattered everywhere.
“Window frames were thrown 30 to 40 feet into the trees, some branches still lodged in them. Curtains and sheets were tangled in the tree branches,” described Moody.
It is unclear what the cause was, but natural gas explosions can occur from leaking appliances or pipes. And they are on the rise across the United States. The I-Team-analyzed reports found that in Illinois, there have been at least 24 reports of them since 2020.
You should make sure to have fuel-burning appliances like stoves, water heaters and furnaces checked by licensed experts regularly. If a gas company is doing work near your home, be on alert for the smell of gas.
“Explosions or incidents where people are dying, and people are, they’re displaced. And oftentimes, these explosions are so violent that not only does it take out their home, but it takes out their neighbor’s home,” said Denova Detect Safety Director Karen Yaggie.
Denova Detect is one company that makes natural gas alarms, headquartered in southwest suburban Lisle.
You can buy several different brands of natural gas alarms in most stores and online. They are anywhere from $15 to $90.
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Natural gas alarms are used in addition to carbon monoxide alarms, because they detect different gases with distinct dangers. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, toxic byproduct of burning fuel. Natural gas is the fuel and can cause fires and explosions. Natural gas, of course, does have an odor, but you may not always smell it.
“As the population ages, a lot of times, they lose hearing sight and their sense of smell. And, you know, if we’re sleeping, our nose is asleep, as well. So, there’s no way we’re going to be able to detect natural gas if we’re sleeping,” Yaggie said.
Yaggie says unlike others, her local company’s alarms do not need to be plugged in, so they can be hung higher on the wall.
“Natural gas is lighter than air. So, it’s really important that you mount the alarm properly. It needs to be on the wall within 12 inches from the ceiling. That’s where you’re going to get your earliest warning. And if it’s mounted properly, you could have as much as 11 minutes’ more time to escape safely,” Yaggie said.
Proposed state legislation would require the installation of gas alarms in new construction and specified existing buildings, similar to existing smoke detector laws.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s really hard because, I think that, you know, if we had known about an alarm, that he would still be here,” Moody said. “Maybe he would have heard the alarm and woken up.”
The gas alarm bill passed in the state House and is in the process of being assigned to a Senate committee. Experts say no matter which type of alarm you choose, you should have a gas alarm by each gas appliance.
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