Victim Identified As Bunker Hill Man In Fatal Truck Explosion At Olin/Winchester

EAST ALTON - Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn has reported the identity of the victim of a fatal truck explosion that occurred Thursday afternoon at the Olin/Winchester facility in East Alton as Oscar "Zeke" Bettorf, 60, of Bunker Hill.

"The deceased family has been notified," Coroner Nonn said. "Mr. Bettorf tragically lost his life following a job site-related accident. He was the driver of a semi-truck with a trailer loaded with shotgun shell primers that exploded while being transported inside the Olin property.

"Madison County Coroner’s Investigator Kyle Burgess responded to the scene at the request of the East Alton Police Department. He pronounced the death at 5:34 p.m. Thursday. The cause of the explosion remains under joint investigation by Olin Security, East Alton Police, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigations, Secretary of State Police Bomb Squad, State Fire Marshall’s Office, and the ATF."

An autopsy was performed and preliminary results indicate that Bettorf suffered blunt trauma to the head, neck, chest, and pelvis, Nonn said.

A final autopsy report is pending toxicology and microscopy examination. Funeral arrangements remain pending at this time with the Weber-Rodney Funeral Home in Edwardsville.

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