Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant Overnight fire at manufacturing business held in check by sprinkler system (St. Charles, IL) October 20, 2014 viking210 The St. Charles Fire Department responded to an activated fire alarm at 4:15 a.m. at Eifeler-Lafer Inc., located at 3800 Commerce Drive. The company provides steel and carbide coating, which is used in making tools and medical devices. The business was closed at the time of the fire and no employees or other occupants were inside. An overhead sprinkler helped keep the fire in check and firefighters were able to extinguish the rest in about 30 minutes. No firefighters were injured.