College/University (on campus), Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant, School / University Urbana, IL – Fire at campus restaurant held in check by sprinkler system; No injuries reported April 22, 2019 viking210 The basement of the nearly 80-year-old Illini Union at the University of Illinois campus in Urbana-Champaign has reopened after a fire forced it to close for several hours. Chief Urbana Fire Investigators Jeremy Leevey told the (Champaign) News-Gazette that crews responded to a small fire at Einstein Bros. Bagels at about 6:15 a.m. Thursday. Leevey says the union’s sprinkler system and firefighters were able to put out the fire. He says the cause is undetermined. Leevey says the restaurant has smoke damage but the dollar loss was minimal. The university’s Illini Alert system issued a message about 6:30 a.m. Thursday saying there was a fire at the union and to avoid or leave the area immediately. No injuries were reported. Officials say the union is fully operational.
