A major fire department and hazardous materials response was sent after a machine caught on fire inside a large manufacturing plant in Crystal Lake Monday afternoon.
The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department responded around 1:15 p.m. Monday to KNAACK, 420 East Terra Cotta Avenue in Crystal Lake, for a report of smoke inside the building.
Firefighters arrived and initially did not find any smoke or flames visible from the outside of the large one-story industrial plant. KNAACK manufactures secure storage tool boxes for jobsites.
Employees were evacuating the building and a fire was reported inside, prompting an upgraded response.
A machine, which was reported to contain aluminum, was on fire and a hazardous materials response was needed, fire officials said.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was initially activated to the box alarm level for hazardous materials technicians and equipment from throughout Lake and McHenry counties.
Firefighters verified that all workers had safely evacuated the building.
A secondary MABAS box was activated to the second alarm level for fire engines to respond.
Smoke began pushing out of the building as crews worked to extinguish the fire.
The fire was eventually extinguished by around 3 p.m. and isolated to the one machine. No injuries were reported to any employees.
A Crystal Lake firefighter was transported to a local hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, fire officials said.
The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills, Huntley, Cary, Barrington, Woodstock, McHenry, Wauconda, Wonder Lake, Marengo, Barrington-Countryside, Buffalo Grove, Nunda Rural, Libertyville, Lake Zurich, Grayslake, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Deerfield-Bannockburn, Countryside and Fox River Grove fire departments assisted at the scene.
The Carpentersville, Union, Woodstock and Hampshire fire departments covered Crystal Lake fire stations.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department.