Large fire destroys Joliet-area facility near I-55; firefighter injured when ceiling collapses
WILL COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- A firefighter was injured while battling a large fire at a facility in the Joliet area Monday morning.
Chopper 7 flew over Rovanco Piping Systems, located at 20535 SE Frontage Road near Shorewood, as part of the facility went up in flames.
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Monday morning, thick black smoke could be seen billowing as close to 30 fire departments rushed to the 150,000-square-foot facility near Interstate 55 to respond.
"She said she thought a car went through the house. That's how much the house shook," said Cynthia Braley, whose family lives nearby.
Neighbors took cellphone video showing the large fire and heavy smoke after at least four explosions woke them up.
"The windows rattled, and then around 20-30 seconds later, here's another loud explosion," witness Patrick Bernard said. "I walked outside. I noticed the whole back of the Rovanco building was pretty much leveled already. With all the fire it looked like an airplane had crashed, a small airplane. There were flames everywhere."
"She said she thought a car went through the house. That's how much the house shook," said Cynthia Braley, whose family lives nearby. "Incredible. I mean, the heat must have been crazy because, I mean, you see the whole building just like melted with the steel."
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The Troy Fire Protection District said they got calls around 4 a.m. They said two employees reported seeing smoke inside the facility and called 911 and evacuated.
Because there are no hydrants in the area, crews had to bring water from outside. One firefighter was burned in the face and wrist while responding.
"They went inside with a hand line to make a stop at that building and try to save the office area," Troy Fire Protection District Chief Paul Hertzmann said. "Unbeknownst to them, the fire had traveled over their heads in the ceiling area. When they pulled to check, the whole ceiling fell on them, and that's how he got burned."
The firefighter is stable at Loyola University Medical Center.
"The fire had a good head-start on us, and a fire like that construction, where it's all open inside, and it's all wooden beams and insulation, there is no protection from the fire spreading. So, it already had a significant head-start, and the fact that we had to bring all the water in caused a delay," Hertzmann said.
Fire crews were expected to remain on the scene Monday to battle hotspots in the smoldering debris.
And while a strong westerly wind helped to move the smoke over an empty field and away from the expressway and nearby homes, residents did receive text messages warning them for a time against going outside.
While there were chemicals stored inside the facility, officials believe most of it burned off. But, they said they would still be contacting the Environmental Protection Agency to see if sending out air monitors is warranted.
The chief estimates the facility had $25 to $30 million worth of damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
