A passerby says they saw the flames shooting from the roof and called for help.
The business’ sprinkler system was activated during the fire.
Once firefighters arrived, they determined the fire was coming from a fan on top of the roof.
It’s unclear if the fire extended into the interior of the business.
***Fire Department Release *** At 10:31 a.m. on Thursday morning, the La Grange Park Fire Department was dispatched to an activated fire alarm at a manufacturing facility located at 1245 Barnsdale Rd. No call was received from the facility. Upon the fire department’s arrival at 10:37 a.m., the building’s fire alarm was sounding, the building was partially evacuated, and smoke was coming from overhead dock doors. Upon further investigation, it was noted that a fire had occurred in a laser cutting area. Employees in the area initially attempted to fight the fire with fire extinguishers, and then a single fire sprinkler operated and completely extinguished the fire. Firefighters checked for fire extension, cut electricity to the affected area, and shut down the fire sprinkler system. One employee who was in the area where the fire started and who helped to initially fight the fire, was treated by paramedics and transported to Adventist La Grange Hospital. The fire appears to have started when plastic being cut by a laser overheated, and plastic dust and hoses in the ventilation system ignited. The building and contents are valued at several million dollars, but damage at this time appears to be limited to $5,000.00. The employees should be commended for their initial actions, and the limited amount of damage to the overall business can be directly attributed to a properly operating fire sprinkler system,” according to Fire Chief Dean J. Maggos. Further damage to equipment in the immediate area is still being assessed. La Grange Firefighters assisted by La Grange Park Firefighters at the incident.
*** Fire Department Release *** At approximately 3:10 am on July 31st, the Roselle Fire Department received a report of an activated fire alarm on Norwood Ave. in Itasca. Upon arrival nothing was noted, and a visual inspection was done around the building and from the roof. Once entry was gained, smoke was noted in the warehouse. Investigation revealed two plastic carts that were full of dirty rags and wood stain that had ignited. Two sprinkler heads activated and controlled this fire. Had the sprinkler system not operated as designed, it is highly probable that this would have been a major fire as there were two barrels of flammable liquids nearby in this woodworking business. Crews were on the scene for less than two hours doing ventilation, and the business was open that morning.
About a half-dozen units were dispatched to the plant, which had been evacuated.
Just before 7 p.m., firefighters were looking for hot spots concentrated in the ceiling.
The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.
Firefighters were dealing not only with the fire, but also record-high temperatures.
