No Injuries at Deep Tunnel Explosion
By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 14, 2011 7:20PM
Residents of South Holland woke up this morning to a boom, literally. Officials believe a buildup of gas in a reservoir drop shaft that's part of the Deep Tunnel project was the cause of an explosion around 6 a.m.
The explosion ripped the vent cover off the shaft, dent debris in all directions, damaged cars and a nearby building. No one was injured from the explosion.
The shaft, which went online in 2004, connects Deep Tunnel to a nearby quarry that serves as a reservoir for sewer overflow. The Deep Tunnel Project is intended to reduce flooding in the greater Chicago area and divert storm water and sewage into temporary holding reservoirs, reducing the effects of flushing raw sewage into Lake Michigan. $3 billion has been spent on the project over 30 years and the project isn't expected to be completed until 2029.