This morning, Tim Olk reported on a significant commercial fire that broke out at the Gerresheimer Glass Co. located at 1131 Arnold Street in Chicago Heights. According to information sourced from nwi.com, the incident occurred when a furnace malfunctioned, causing molten glass to spill out like lava just before 9 a.m.
Chicago Heights Fire Chief James Angell explained that firefighters quickly responded to the scene and initially managed to contain the situation by dousing the furnace with water. However, disaster struck when a steam explosion occurred on the third floor of the furnace, sending the molten glass cascading onto the building's structure and igniting a blaze. Firefighters worked diligently for approximately 45 minutes to extinguish the flames, after which they stayed on site to assist plant personnel in restarting the furnace to prevent the molten glass from solidifying. It’s worth noting that the facility, which has been operational since the early 1900s, specializes in producing primary glass packaging for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Chief Angell highlighted that due to the severe winter conditions and the large scale of the factory, additional support was urgently requested from neighboring departments. As a result, firefighters from Matteson, Park Forest, Glenwood, Homewood, Flossmoor, Sauk Village, Frankfort, Steger, and Hazel Crest joined the effort. Meanwhile, Crete, Richton Park, Crete Township, University Park, and Richton Park Township fire departments took over emergency calls for Chicago Heights.
Attached are several photos taken by Tim Olk, capturing the dramatic scene of the winter fire at the industrial building. These images vividly depict the intensity of the situation and the critical work carried out by the firefighting teams.
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