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Limited water access hinders firefighters battling massive blaze at Joliet scrapyard

By and Cody King
Published  November 1, 2024 3:02pm CDT
Joliet
FOX 32 Chicago

Limited water access hinders firefighters battling massive blaze at Joliet scrapyard

A massive fire at the BL Duke scrapyard in Joliet on Friday prompted a multi-agency response, with firefighters struggling against limited water supply.

The Brief

    • A massive fire at the BL Duke scrapyard in Joliet on Friday prompted a multi-agency response, with firefighters struggling against limited water supply.
    • The fire ignited a scrap pile but did not involve hazardous materials; all employees were evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported.
    • Firefighters contained the blaze by 5 p.m., but efforts continued into the night, with the cause likely remaining undetermined.

JOLIET, Ill. - A massive fire broke out Friday afternoon at a Joliet scrapyard, where firefighters faced challenges due to a limited water supply.

The incident was reported around 2:17 p.m. at BL Duke – Joliet Public Scrap Metal Recycling Yard, located at 2 Genstar Lane.

Fire officials said a large scrap pile, containing metal, wood and possibly some plastic caught fire. No hazardous materials were involved.

Several nearby buildings that contained flammable liquids were initially threatened by the fire, officials said. Air quality was also not being impacted as a result of the fire.

Fire officials said the blaze was considered to be "contained" around 5 p.m., but Lockport Township Fire Protection District firefighters were still on scene.  Firefighters expect the fire could burn for several hours or even days.

Large fire erupts at Joliet scrapyard

A large fire broke out at a scrapyard in Joliet, drawing a heavy response from firefighters.

"Our biggest problem is we have very little water down here, so we're working on getting a water supply, which will help us get it out faster," said Victor Stachelski, Joliet fire operations chief. "There's only one hydrant. We're trying to coordinate some of the local fire departments that actually have to use tanker operations."

Stachelski said it’s too early to know exactly how the fire started, and it might be hard to ever pinpoint a cause.

"Could’ve been some hot piece of equipment, or maybe they put something into the pile that they didn’t realize was hot at the time," said Stachelski. "The chances of us figuring out exactly what caused it are probably pretty slim."

BL Duke issued a statement on the fire, expressing gratitude to all the responding agencies. 

"Earlier today, a fire occurred at our Joliet Scrap Yard. We’re relieved to report that no injuries were sustained, and all team members were safely evacuated. We want to thank the fire department and first responders for their swift action. Their efforts to contain and extinguish the fire prevented further impact, and we’re grateful for their dedication."

Firefighters were still battling the blaze Friday night. 

The Joliet Fire Department, the Lockport Township Fire Protection District and several other agencies are responding to the fire.

We'll bring more updates as they become available.

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Large fire erupts at Joliet scrapyard (FOX 32 )