Morris Fire Chief Tracy Steffes said the accidental fire was caused by a malfunctioning deep freeze that caused some racks of dry goods to catch fire.
The sprinkler system was activated containing the blaze until fire personnel could arrive. Steffes said this was an excellent example of where a fire suppression system saved a building from a multi-million dollar loss.
He also said a large amount of man power was needed to place fire attack lines into service due to size of the building. They also used the MABAS Division 10 large ventilation fan to clear smoke from building, which was filled with smoke from floor to ceiling. The fan came from the Lyons Fire Department.
The incident was investigated by the Illinois Fire Marshal’s Office, MABAS Division 15 Arson Investigators, Morris Police and Fire Departments. Estimated damages including loss of revenue due to being closed are at $1 million so far.
No injuries were reported and the business was closed on Sunday.
