Seward | |
---|---|
Former post office and buildings on the main street | |
Coordinates: 42°14′09″N89°21′28″W / 42.23583°N 89.35778°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Illinois |
County | Winnebago |
Township | Seward |
Elevation | 896 ft (273 m) |
Population (2000) | |
• Total | 200 |
Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Postal code | 61077 |
Area code | 815 |
Seward is an unincorporated community in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States, and is located west of Rockford. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. [2]
On April 23, 2007, workers at the Seward Agricultural Supply Inc. were transferring Anhydrous ammonia from a storage tank to a tanker truck when a hose burst, causing the chemical to leak completely out. It turned into a large, toxic plume cloud that drifted into Seward. A mandatory evacuation was ordered for the town's approximately 300 residents, while a voluntary evacuation was put out for nearby Pecatonica and Winnebago. The incident caused at least 10 minor injuries, but no fatalities, and residents were allowed to return 12 hours later. [3]