1 Dead, 11 Injured in Explosion in Central Illinois

A small town in central Illinois was rocked Wednesday evening by an explosion from what was presumed to be a gas leak, leaving one person dead and at least 11 others injured. The blast tore through the center of Canton at about 5:45 p.m, devastating a busy shopping area. Photos from the area showed storefronts blown out and major damage to several buildings. The Canton Police Department has warned residents to avoid the area. “No one is being allowed within a three-block radius of downtown Canton. No property or vehicles within this area will be accessible for quite some time,” the police department said in a statement. The victims were rushed to a hospital, where one person died and the others are being treated.