Large fire roars through Solo Cup factory

November 4, 2009 (CHICAGO) The fire broke out around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Solo Cup Company at West 75th and South Kostner. About 200 people were inside the building at the time of the fire. They all got out safely.

The fire department said the fire was contained to machinery and duct work, so it took firefighters quite a bit of time to extinguish. There's been no word yet on a cause.

Firefighters struggled to get water to some parts of the warehouse because of its size. It's about 1,000 feet long and 500 feet wide. The fire apparently started above and below the roof line. Investigators believe it was accidental.

"The roof itself was a metal deck roof, never compromised, and the safety of the firefighters was never in doubt," said Chief Jeffrey Springer, Chicago Fire Dept. "The Solo Cup company did a nice job evacuating their employees. There were quite a few employees on duty at that the hour and, happy to say, no one was hurt."

Copyright © 2024 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.