Over 100 workers were evacuated after a fire broke out in a dust collector machine inside a large manufacturing plant, causing the building to fill with smoke, in Libertyville.
The Libertyville Fire Department responded around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday to Weller Metalworks, 2400 Commerce Drive in Libertyville, for a report of a fire alarm.
Libertyville Fire Chief Michael Pakosta said employees did “exactly what they were supposed to do” and began evacuating after hearing the activated alarm.
Firefighters arrived and found smoke in the building. They upgraded the incident to a Confirmed Fire response.
Firefighters worked with building representatives and found a dust collector machine in the middle of the factory that was on fire, Pakosta said.
The machine, which was hoisted on stands, was described as a couple of refrigerators put together.
The fire was contained to the machine itself but the fire caused smoke to fill the large metal fabrication plant.
Pakosta said firefighters pulled a hose line into the building and extinguished the fire relatively quickly.
They then worked to evacuate the smoke, which took a while due to the large size of the building.
It is unclear what caused the fire. Pakosta said it is possible that either the filters clogged, causing the hot material to catch fire, or the unit malfunctioned.
Approximately 100-150 employees were evacuated as firefighters remained on the scene for an hour.
Pakosta said the employees were allowed to return to the building and continue working. No injuries were reported.
The Mundelein, Countryside, Grayslake and Gurnee fire departments assisted at the scene and several other fire departments covered Libertyville fire stations during the incident.