Tag Archives: Illinois

Other Business, Recycling / Waste Facility

Grayslake, IL – Sprinkler system activated for fire at waste management facility

A sprinkler system helped contain a fire that broke out in a large mound of recycling materials inside a Waste Management facility in Grayslake, fire officials said.

The Grayslake Fire Protection District responded around 11:30 p.m. Friday to the Waste Management Recycling Center Processing Facility, 30869 Route 83 in Grayslake.

Grayslake Fire Protection District Lt. Ian Mandigo said crews initially responded after receiving an activated fire alarm.

Firefighters arrived to find moderate smoke showing from the rear of the building.

Mandigo said the incident was upgraded to a confirmed structure fire, bringing additional fire department crews to the scene.

Firefighters were quickly able to contain and extinguish the fire.

The fire was confined to a pile of recycled materials, Mandigo said.

No physical damage was done to the building itself due to the effectiveness of the automatic sprinkler system.

Employees arrived on the scene and removed the smoldering materials outside of the building using a front-end loader.

Fire crews overhauled the burnt materials once they were outside the building.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Mandigo said.

The Round Lake, Mundelein, Libertyville, Countryside and Gurnee fire departments assisted at the scene.

Grayslake fire stations were covered by the Lake Villa, Libertyville and Waukegan fire departments.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Bolingbrook, IL – Sprinkler system contains fire at Party City store

A fire reported at Party City on Sunday was contained by the fire sprinkler system of the building, the Bolingbrook Fire Department said.

The department responded at 3:20 p.m. to the store at 257 N. Weber Road, and found a fire in a display shelving unit inside the store.

The department said the sprinkler system had contained the fire, and firefighters were able to extinguish flames quickly. Crews began to salvage and conserve the unaffected property inside the building, and worked to clear the smoke from the building and neighboring units.

Members of the Bolingbrook Fire Department, trained in fire investigations, began to survey the scene, the department said. At this time, the incident is still under investigation.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Wauconda, IL – Sprinkler system contains fire at senior apartment building

A sprinkler system contained a blaze at a senior apartment building in Wauconda until firefighters arrived Thursday afternoon.

The Wauconda Fire District responded to Liberty Arms, 260 Larkdale Row Drive, at 3:09 p.m. and found a fire in a second-floor unit was being kept in check by a sprinkler head, according to a news release.

Crews extinguished the fire, which officials said was related to unattended cooking.

Five people were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, the news release said.

Damage was estimated at $300,000. The Red Cross was helping displaced residents.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Alton, IL – Sprinkler system activated for fire in hotel room; No injuries reported

Firefighters were called to the Best Western Premier hotel at 3559 College Ave. in Alton at 9:18 p.m. Friday for a one-room fire.

According to authorities, a fire in the couch of an unoccupied room set off the hotel’s sprinkler system, which extinguished the blaze before firefighters arrived. The hotel immediately evacuated more than 100 people including those who had gathered for a function in a meeting room and a 10-year-old’s birthday pool party.

Tired guests wanting to sleep stood and sat outside of the hotel on all four sides. Firefighters scrambled to shut off the sprinkler system as water poured out of the room and into the first floor hallway.

The room was reported to have been heavily damaged. Fire department officials on Friday night said they had not determined how the fire started in the unoccupied room.

Firefighters made sure the fire was completely out before guests were allowed back in the hotel at 10:01 p.m.

The night wasn’t a complete disappointment, as firefighters let the birthday girl and her guests sit in a fire truck before they left.

The cause of the fire is under investigation; no injuries were reported.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Woodbridge, IL – Sprinkler system contains kitchen fire at nursing home; No injuries reported

A sprinkler system helped keep a fire contained to a kitchen inside a Woodridge nursing home Tuesday night, authorities said.

The Lisle-Woodridge Fire District was notified of the blaze at about 9:15 p.m. after a fire alarm went off at the Cedarhurst senior living community along 75th Street. Responding firefighters encountered heavy smoke and fire conditions in the kitchen area.

Investigators are still trying to determine what sparked the fire, but the cause appears accidental, Deputy Fire Chief Steve Demas said Wednesday.

The building’s sprinkler system held the fire to the kitchen. Firefighters used a hose line to extinguish the blaze within a few minutes.

“We did have smoke spread, but it could have been a significant issue for us given the age demographic” of the building’s residents, Demas said.

Officials estimate the fire caused about $100,000 in damage, Demas said.

“Installed sprinkler systems are the most effective tool in our toolbox, as it relates to community risk reduction efforts,” Fire Chief Keith Krestan said in a statement.

Due to the smoke, residents were temporarily relocated to other areas of the building. No injuries were reported.

Crews from the Darien-Woodridge Fire Protection District as well as the Westmont and Downers Grove fire departments assisted Lisle-Woodridge firefighters.

Apartment Building, Historic Building, Other Business, Residential

Rockford, IL – Sprinkler system contains fire in historic apartment building; No injuries reported

Eight residents need temporary housing after a fire broke out in the historic Faust Landmark apartment building.

Firefighters received an alarm call from the building at 630 E. State St. around 9:20 p.m. Monday. Investigators in the fire department say the flames started in a 10th floor bedroom. The sprinkler system contained the flames until crews arrived to extinguish the rest.

Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire. They estimate the damage at $5,000. No one was injured in this incident, and the Red Cross is helping the residents find a place to stay.

Apartment Building, Residential

Naperville, IL – Sprinkler system activated for residential kitchen fire; No injuries reported

At 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday February 8th, Naperville’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) received an alarm on their board for an activated fire alarm in the 1800 block of North Naperville Road. Naperville 911(PSAP) dispatched a general alarm assignment consisting of 10 pieces of fire apparatus and 24 personnel including an Incident Commander and Incident Safety Officer to the reported address. 

At 1:45 a.m. the first vehicle arrived on scene and noted many of the occupants were in the process of evacuating. As the crews began investigating the alarm, they encountered light smoke and an activated sprinkler head in the kitchen. Fire companies located a trash can that was burning in the cooking area. The sprinkler system kept the fire in check until it could be fully extinguished by fire service personnel. At 1:52 a.m. the fire was fully extinguished. Crews remained on the scene another 30 minutes assisting the building management with the sprinkler system.  

The cause is fire was ruled accidental.  There were no injuries to any occupants or firefighters while operating on scene and the building was deemed to be habitable, however, the kitchen will remain closed until it can be inspected by county health department The fire is estimated to have caused less than $500 in damages.

Hospital/Care Facility, Other - Hospital/Medical

Zion, IL – Fire at Cancer Treatment Center extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Fire officials say a fire was quickly extinguished by a sprinkler system inside the Cancer Treatment Centers of America hospital in Zion Monday afternoon.

Zion Fire-Rescue District Lt. Ian Kennedy said dispatchers received notification from an alarm monitoring company around 12:23 p.m. Monday for a fire alarm that had been activated at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, 2520 Elisha Avenue in Zion.

Firefighters arrived and found light smoke inside the building.

They also found a charred wall and a charred construction utility cart, Kennedy said. One sprinkler head had activated.

An investigation showed that workers cutting some type of material led to a power cord, which was in contact with copper and flammable materials, being damaged and causing the fire.

The fire occurred in an area of the hospital that was under construction, Kennedy said.

No patients or employees were near the immediate location of the incident. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters ensured the fire had not spread, performed ventilation and shut down the sprinkler system.

Zion Fire-Rescue Department Fire Chief Justin Stried said the hospital’s sprinkler system did its job and contained the fire until firefighters arrived and confirmed it had not spread.

Kennedy said it was a concern that there could have been considerable resource needs for patients, families and employees should the fire have turned out bigger than it was.

The Winthrop Harbor Fire Department assisted Zion firefighters at the scene. A preliminary estimate shows there was $5,000 in damage.

Residential, Single Family Home

Streamwood, IL – Sprinkler system activated for fire in basement of home

A fire that started in the basement of an unoccupied Streamwood home Saturday didn’t cause serious damage thanks to the sprinkler system, officials said.

Streamwood fire crews responded to the home on Moraine Court around 5 p.m. but found only light smoke coming from a basement window, according to a news release.

Officials said the fire was extinguished by the automatic sprinkler system so the damage to the home was minimal. Upon inspection, officials determined the fire had been started by a lithium battery pack that malfunctioned while being charged, the release said.

The village of Streamwood has required fire sprinklers installed in all new homes since 2002.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Vernon Hills, IL – Sprinkler system activated for early morning fire at warehouse; No injuries reported

Several departments responded to a smoky fire early today at a warehouse/distribution center in the Corporate Woods campus in Vernon Hills.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the blaze and extent of damage at Automotive Keys Group, 633 Hickory Hill Drive, is being investigated.

The Lincolnshire Riverwoods Fire Protection District was dispatched to the business at 4:24 a.m. through an automatic fire alarm.

First-arriving emergency crews encountered heavy smoke throughout the large warehouse, according to Battalion Chief Steve McCaughey.

The call was upgraded to a working fire scenario, which brought firefighters from the Deerfield, Countryside, Lake Zurich and Long Grove fire protection districts and Buffalo Grove, Lake Forest, Wheeling and Libertyville municipal fire departments.

An automatic sprinkler system was activated before firefighters arrived, keeping the blaze from growing before it could be completely extinguished, McCaughey said. Nobody was at the facility when the alarm was sounded, he added.

McCaughey said extensive smoke hampered crews and a special mobile ventilation unit was used to clear the warehouse and office spaces.

According to its website, AKG is a leading remanufacturer and distributor of replacement automotive keyless entry remotes, other key replacements and related equipment.

In April 2021, the company consolidated locations with Locksmith Resources and Midwest Keyless in a new facility in Vernon Hills featuring centralized distribution and a training facility.

Investigators from Lincolnshire-Riverwoods were assisted by Vernon Hills police at the scene.