Oakland, IL- An Oakland woman is dead after her house exploded early Friday morning.
Edgar County dispatchers were called just before 7 a.m. Friday by a motorist traveling on Illinois Highway 133. The motorist said that there was a man standing on the side of the road and waving his hands in the air for help.
Responders were informed that there had been an explosion at the man's house and that there was a woman trapped inside. The Edgar County Special Service Area Ambulance, along with several area fire departments responded to the scene.
The Charleston Technical Rescue Team was summoned to assist in securing the structure to allow rescuers to reach the victim shortly before 9 a.m. Attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful. Helen J. Ball, 62, was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:03 a.m. by Edgar County Coroner Peter Templeton.
The man who had flagged down the motorist was the only other occupant of the house. He was transported to Paris Community Hospital Emergency room for treatment of minor injuries. Ball has been transported to Regional Hospital in Terre Haute, where an autopsy is scheduled to be performed Friday afternoon. The explosion and death remain under investigation.
