Seward, Illinois

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.

2007 ammonia leak

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.