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Mother and son killed in Knox County home explosion

The two people who were killed in the house explosion southeast of Galesburg have been identified as a mother and son.

RAPATEE, Illinois -- The two people who were killed in the house explosion southeast of Galesburg have been identified as a mother and son.

A home along Illinois Route 97 exploded around 11:25 a.m. on Sunday, June 9, according to the Knox County Sheriff's Department.  Killed in the blast were 77-year-old Wanda Swain and 51-year-old David L. Swain Jr.

The Knox County Sheriff's Department said both victims had been inside the home at the time and were both found dead among the debris.

Authorities said the home was "completely leveled with debris being found several hundred yards away."  Nearby homes were damaged as well and some properties' windows were blown out.

"At the time of this release, there is no indication of any criminal activity leading up to the explosion and it is believed to be accidental," read the sheriff's statement.

The State of Illinois Fire Marshal is investigating the incident.

Read More: Neighbors clean up after house explosion claims the lives of two in rural Knox County

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