Two employees working at a booth at The Feast of Maria SS Lauretana Italian-Sicilian Religious Festival suffered serious burns Monday night after several propane tanks caught fire.

The fire started shortly before 9:30 p.m. during the outdoor festival, held at Cermak Road and Harlem Avenue, north of Morton West High  School.

Four 100-pound propane cylinders caught fire inside a tent, and the fire quickly spread to the tent, Berwyn Fire Chief Denis O’Halloran said. Two employees working in the booth suffered first- and second-degree burns, he said.

They were taken to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn for their injuries. Their names and conditions were not released as of press time.

The flames were 15 to 20 feet in the air from the tanks, O’Halloran said.

Berwyn police, members of the auxiliary police and Berwyn ESDA evacuated festivalgoers from the grounds. O’Halloran said that during the evacuation, four other people reported injuries suffered during the evacuation.

“It was pretty crowded last (Monday) night,” O’Halloran said Tuesday.

These four suffered minor injuries and were treated, he said, and they did not need to be hospitalized.

Propane tanks may cause a danger of significant injuries. The boiling liquid may expand before the vapor given off explodes.

“Basically it could send hot metal shrapnel out (if it explodes),” O’Halloran said, adding that such a scenario did not occur Monday night.

To ensure safety, “We had to leave the tanks burn off before we went in there,” he added.

The festival, in its 108th year, started Saturday and wrapped up Monday night.

For related video and photo slideshow, see:

http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/berwyn/multimedia/x467285333/VIDEO-PHOTO-SLIDESHOW-Maria-SS-Lauretana-Feast