Man killed in petroleum plant blast was also wrestling coach

Apr 26, 2023, 8:01 AM

Emergency crews respond to an explosion at the Seneca Petroleum Company in Lemont, Ill., Tuesday, A...

Emergency crews respond to an explosion at the Seneca Petroleum Company in Lemont, Ill., Tuesday, April 25, 2023. An explosion at the suburban Chicago petroleum plant killed one person and injured a second Tuesday morning, authorities said. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune via AP)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune via AP)

LEMONT, Ill. (AP) — A man killed in an explosion at a suburban Chicago petroleum refinery was working at the plant as a contractor and was also a high school wrestling coach, authorities said.

The Will County Coroner’s Office said Dru Worker, 25, of Homewood, Illinois, was killed in Tuesday morning’s explosion at Seneca Petroleum Co. in Lemont in Chicago’s southwest suburbs.

He was pronounced dead at the scene after an asphalt tank apparently exploded, the Will County Sheriff’s Office said. A second person suffered minor injuries in the blast, which was followed by a fire.

Several agencies are investigating the explosion, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the county coroner’s office and the Illinois State Fire Marshal.

Worker was an employee of M&J Industrial Services, as is the person injured in the blast, and both had been doing work at the refinery when the explosion occurred, the company said. M&J Industrial Services said in a statement that it was “heartbroken and devastated by this tragedy” and cooperating with federal and state investigators.

A number listed for Seneca Petroleum rang unanswered Wednesday.

OSHA spokesman Scott Allen said the agency was investigating both M&J Industrial Services and Seneca Petroleum and would do its “best to determine what might have caused this tragic incident so that it might be prevented in the future.”

Consolidated High School District 230 said Worker was the assistant wrestling coach at Andrew High School in Tinley Park in Chicago’s south suburbs. The district said in a statement that it had “a heavy heart” over his death.

United States News

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, top left, bows for prayer in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol in...

Associated Press

Impeachment trial of Texas’ Ken Paxton to begin no later than August 28

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A historic impeachment trial in Texas to determine whether Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton should be permanently removed from office will begin no later than August in the state Senate, where the jury that would determine his future could include his wife, Sen. Angela Paxton. Ken Paxton was immediately suspended from […]

17 hours ago

Associated Press

Teenager walks at brain injury event weeks after getting shot in head for knocking on wrong door

Ralph Yarl — a Black teenager who was shot in the head and arm last month after mistakenly ringing the wrong doorbell — walked at a brain injury awareness event Monday in his first major public appearance since the shooting. The 17-year-old suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was shot while trying to pick […]

17 hours ago

Crew members assemble the main stage ahead of the 2023 Scripps Nations Spelling Bee on Sunday, May ...

Associated Press

Exclusive secrets of the National Spelling Bee: Picking the words to identify a champion

As the final pre-competition meeting of the Scripps National Spelling Bee's word selection panel stretches into its seventh hour, the pronouncers no longer seem to care.

17 hours ago

Eugene and Linda Lamie, of Homerville, Ga., sit by the grave of their son U.S. Army Sgt. Gene Lamie...

Associated Press

Biden on Memorial Day lauds generations of fallen US troops who ‘dared all and gave all’

President Joe Biden lauded the sacrifice of generations of U.S. troops who died fighting for their country as he marked Memorial Day with the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

17 hours ago

Associated Press

Motorist with sign claiming to have an explosive device drives to Canadian border

HOULTON, Maine (AP) — The driver of vehicle with a sign indicating there was an explosive device on board led Maine State Police on a chase on Interstate 95 to the Canadian border on Monday, officials said. A trooper fired shots after the motorist attempted to maneuver the truck toward the Canadian port of entry […]

17 hours ago

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS...

Associated Press

Takeaways on debt ceiling: McCarthy’s balancing act, Biden’s choice and the challenges ahead

After weeks of negotiations, President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have struck an agreement to raise the debt ceiling.

17 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

How to identify the symptoms of 3 common anxiety disorders

Living with an anxiety disorder can be debilitating and cause significant stress for those who suffer from the condition.

(Photo: OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center)...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

Here’s what you need to know about OCD and where to find help

It's fair to say that most people know what obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders generally are, but there's a lot more information than meets the eye about a mental health diagnosis that affects about one in every 100 adults in the United States.

(Photo by Michael Matthey/picture alliance via Getty Images)...

Cox Communications

Valley Boys & Girls Club uses esports to help kids make healthy choices

KTAR’s Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives.

Man killed in petroleum plant blast was also wrestling coach