Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:
Residents in Morris are finally being allowed to return home after a major industrial fire that forced over 3,000 people to evacuate. The evacuation order was lifted at 4 p.m. on Friday, following significant progress in containing the blaze. The fire, which began Tuesday morning at an abandoned paper mill, has been fueled by up to 200,000 lithium batteries, creating dangerous levels of toxic smoke and fumes.
The fire broke out just before 11:45 a.m. at the old Federal Paper Board facility on East Benton Street. Firefighters have been working around the clock to bring the situation under control. One of the most effective methods used was pouring 28 tons of Portland cement into the building to smother the burning batteries. According to Fire Chief Tracey Steffes, while there is no active burning at the site, some hot spots still remain, and the batteries could potentially reignite since they don’t require oxygen to burn.
To prevent any possible spread, firefighters have also been digging trenches near the lowest part of the building. Before resorting to cement, they had tried using dry chemical extinguishers, but those proved ineffective against the lithium battery fire. “These batteries can be as small as a phone or as large as a car battery,†Steffes explained. “When they get wet, they short out and explode. That’s the main issue we’re facing.â€
The fire has not only posed a danger to the public but also to the property owner, Jin Zheng. He arrived on the scene shortly after the fire started but couldn’t enter due to the thick black smoke. He had been storing supplies in the 70,000-square-foot warehouse and was planning to launch a solar power business by year-end. Unfortunately, he lost his life savings in the fire and had not yet secured insurance. He had also planned to repair the roof this week, and he suspects water dripping onto the batteries may have triggered the explosions.
Meanwhile, the Illinois EPA has been monitoring air quality in the area, and initial tests have shown favorable results. The Red Cross has been providing essential supplies like food and water to the affected residents and has set up a shelter at First Christian Church for those who were evacuated. Volunteers are continuing to assist with relief efforts as the community begins to recover from the incident.
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