Utility Held Liable for Children’s Cancer

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. — A jury on Friday ordered a utility to pay more than $3 million to the families of four children who contracted a rare form of cancer after the cleanup of coal tar at a plant that made gas from coal.

Two contractors were cleared.

The families contend that their children contracted neuroblastoma after a 1987 cleanup at the long-abandoned plant owned by Central Illinois Public Service Co. of Springfield stirred up coal tar dust and fumes.

Neuroblastoma is a rare cancer of the adrenal glands or the sympathetic nervous system. It occurs about once in every 100,000 births.

Family members sobbed and hugged as the verdict was read.

“I wanted answers, and now I have them. Twelve jurors, God bless them, saw the truth,” said Brenda May, mother of one of the stricken children.

CIPS argued there was no direct evidence that the children were exposed to significant levels of emissions or that coal tar causes neuroblastoma.

CIPS, now known as AmerenCIPS, said it plans to appeal.

One of the stricken children died; the others are in remission.