Ill. Fuel Pipeline Erupts, Catches Fire

Shoots flames 300 feet into the air

A fuel pipeline that runs underneath a cornfield in the western portion of Illinois exploded shortly before midnight on Monday, shooting flames 300 feet into the sky and sending residents fleeing, authorities said.

Dozens of Whiteside County homes were evacuated, as flames spread throughout the area, Erie community Assistant Fire Chief Scott Melton said, in The Associated Press. No injuries were reported, but the fireball could be seen from miles away.