LEBANON, Illinois — In the heart of downtown Lebanon, Illinois, people were still talking about all the damage on Saturday. Countless bricks, blown-out windows, tossed siding -- even the majority of the roof on a multi-use building was blown off.
"I was right there. Right next to it," said Colton Meyers.
At around 7:30 p.m. Friday, Meyers was playing video games in his living room.
He couldn't believe what happened next.
"The explosion happened and I looked out and I saw a bunch of shrapnel flying out and hit my car, " Meyers said.
Meyers raced outside after a suspected natural gas explosion. It happened at the corner of W. St. Louis and N. Madison streets.
"It kind of shook the whole neighborhood. All the lights and the power went out, so it was kind of surreal. It's like a scene from a movie," Meyers said.
Meyers and his two roommates are football coaches at nearby McKendree University. They lived upstairs in the two-story building.
A man, his 4-year old daughter and 8-year-old son lived in the rear.
A woman, who works across the street at the Cobblestone Eatery and Bakery, had an apartment in the bottom level.
An Edwards Jones Investments branch was also located on the bottom level of the building.
"Oh, I am very thankful," said Meyers.
In the midst of the massive mess, nobody was hurt. All of the tenants were gone at the time of the blast except Meyers.
"Luckily, there's I believe a firewall between it that helped push the fire the opposite way instead of in our apartment," said Meyers.
"I've had several people come up to me and tell me that they smelled gas," said Lebanon Mayor Rich Wilken.
Mayor Wilken's insurance office is across the street from where the blast happened.
"I'm thinking we're doggone lucky that no one was hurt," said the mayor.
By late Saturday, the city condemned the building that Mayor Wilkens said dates back to the 1920s. Crews also closed a section of W. St. Louis Street near North Madison Street to drivers until investigators determine when they will begin tearing down the damaged building.
"The state fire marshal is investigating it and the initial report suspects it was a natural gas explosion. We're just blessed that no one was hurt," said Mayor Rich Wilken.
The Red Cross is now assisting the tenants with food, clothing and shelter.
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