St. Anne, IL – A vehicle crashed into the playground of St. Anne Grade School #256 in Kankakee County, Illinois, on Friday, hitting a natural gas line and causing immediate concern for student safety and property damage. The incident, which unfolded around 11:30 a.m., prompted a swift emergency response.
According to District officials, the driver of the vehicle may have suffered a medical emergency, leading to the loss of control and subsequent crash into the school’s playground area, damaging a swingset before hitting the building. Fortunately, no students or staff were in the vicinity of the playground at the time, preventing what could have been a serious incident involving injuries.
The gas line damage necessitated an immediate shutdown of gas services to the school building as a precautionary measure. The building was evacuated and thoroughly inspected by the fire department to ensure it was safe to return. No dollar value has been assigned to the damage as of yet. Students were allowed back into the building briefly to retrieve their personal belongings before being dismissed early at 12:30 p.m. for bus riders, with town students following shortly after.
