Electricity is a source of power that needs to be contained and directed. In simple terms, it is generated from a source and runs through wiring to power up a wide range of devices, from lights to computers to cars. You can’t see electricity, but you can see the effects of electricity.

For instance, lightning is a massive electrical discharge that occurs when electrical energy ionizes the air, transforming it into a bright flash.

When electricity is uncontained, it seeks a source to ground itself. The earth is the biggest conductor, but unfortunately, so is the human body. An electric current that is released from a wire can strike a person’s body and either cause superficial damage to the skin in the form of burns or pass through the body, attacking nerves, vessels, muscles, and organs.

That type of injury can have immediate and long-term effects, leading to costly medical care, including surgery, hospitalization, and physical therapy. It can also mean extended time off from work or the inability to go back to work altogether.

An explosion occurred at a chemical manufacturing plant in LaSalle, IL early on Jan. 11, 2023, causing a massive fire and the release of at least one dangerous substance into the environment. Carus, a global supplier of products used for air purification, soil remediation, and the treatment of water and wastewater, says that the explosion occurred in a shipping container that was located at the facility. It is currently unclear what was inside the shipping container at the time of the explosion.

Nearby residents reported hearing multiple loud explosions as black smoke began to fill the air. Local authorities issued a shelter in place order, affecting people in their homes, at work, and at the nearby LaSalle-Peru Township High School.