Flames and smoke shot up into the air and explosions could be heard after a Chicago-area magnesium factory caught fire overnight, with fire crews describing the building as a "total loss."
About 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, dozens of fire crews were called to the scene, at Chicago Magnesium Casting Co. located at 14101 Seeley Ave. in Blue Island near Dixmoor, Jeff Cook of the Posen Fire Department said. Upon arrival, firefighters saw flames bursting through the building's roof, Cook said.
Cook added that the location of the fire, at the back of the building near railroad tracks, made it "tricky" to get fire vehicles in and out of. Photos and video from the scene showed the back of a large facility up in a blaze, with crews using tall ladders and long hoses in attempt to spray the fire from the front.
Hazmat also responded to the scene, Cook said, due to the material inside.
"The magnesium is adding to the fire," Cook said overnight. "It's combustible metal, so yes, it's making it hard. As you've heard, we've had some explosions inside."
Cook said the fire had been "mostly contained," and no injuries were reported. No one was inside the building at the time of the blaze, fire officials said.
As of 5:30 a.m. Friday, explosions could still be heard, NBC 5 photographers reported, with smoke billowing from the building.
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Later Friday morning, the State Fire Marshall; The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on scene as the investigation continued, as was the Environmental Protection Agency, which was providing air monitoring.
According to officials, the main building of the facility was deemed a "total loss," with authorities working to survey two others.
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"There were multiple explosions that rocked several nearby homes,” Dixmoor Village President Fitzgerald Roberts said in a release. “This was a dangerous fire but thanks to the courage and capable work of the Posen Fire Department, there was no loss of life. This could have been a much worse situation especially in light of the fact that a train was blocking access for firefighters to reach the fire.”
