Explosion at Ottawa chemical plant leaves 2 workers injured

OTTAWA, Ill. - Two workers were injured in an explosion and fire at a chemical plant Tuesday morning in Ottawa, prompting a large emergency response and a temporary shelter-in-place order for nearby businesses.

What we know:

The incident happened just before 8 a.m. at Coogee Chemicals, located at 1501 Titanium Dr. Fire crews arrived minutes later to find moderate smoke coming from a large structure on the property.

One employee was found inside near the site of the explosion and was quickly rescued by firefighters, while a second worker made it out of the building on their own, according to the Ottawa Fire Department. Both were taken to OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center for treatment. Their conditions were not immediately released.

Firefighters determined the incident involved a magnesium fire, which cannot be extinguished with water due to the risk of chemical reaction. Crews instead used specialized dry chemical agents to bring the fire under control by about 8:14 a.m., preventing it from spreading.

Authorities temporarily closed Route 6 and advised nearby businesses to shelter in place as a precaution. A hazardous materials team was also called to the scene, and additional personnel assisted with decontamination efforts at the hospital.

Preliminary findings indicate the explosion may have been caused by equipment failure during a process involving magnesium transfer. Officials said a malfunction may have allowed oxygen to mix with the material, triggering the reaction.

Damage to the facility was described as minimal, and all employees were accounted for. Coogee Chemical has suspended operations while the investigation continues, with assistance from Illinois OSHA.

Ottawa is a city of approximately 20,000 people located roughly 80 miles southwest of Chicago.