(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Wednesday was another day of canceled mass at St. Mary’s in northwest suburban Woodstock, as the Catholic church and school wait for building inspectors to give them the OK to return after a house explosion caused fire and damage nearby.
Those at St. Mary’s, which is located just across Tryon Street from the blast, were still waiting for power to be restored.
The Woodstock Fire and Rescue District has now doubled the number of buildings damaged. Of the 20 structures, officials said two homes and a detached garage are complete losses, and two others are structurally uninhabitable.
Woodstock Mayor Mike Turner said the district is investigating the explosion that came after a sewer line crew hit a gas main.
“We’ll do that, so that we’re absolutely certain as to what the cause was, but we have some initial thoughts,” he said.
As St. Mary’s waits for power to be restored, the Woodstock Public Library was able to reopen.
Among the 22 people displaced are a couple and their friend, who lived in the home that was flattened. A GoFundMe has raised more than $10,000. Becky Bosowski wrote that her brother’s dogs were severely burned in the explosion.
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