A popular barbecue restaurant in Waukegan has reopened after being temporarily closed following a fire, at least the third to occur at the restaurant, fire officials said.
The Waukegan Fire Department responded around 2:30 p.m. Thursday to Hillery’s Bar-B-Q, 2021 North Lewis Avenue in Waukegan, for a report of a structure fire.
Firefighters arrived and found light smoke coming from the chimney of the restaurant, Waukegan Fire Department Battalion Chief Todd Zupec said.
All employees had already self-evacuated prior to the fire department arriving.
Fire crews entered the building and determined there was a fire inside the cooking equipment, Zupec said.
The fire was extending into the chimney vent.
Zupec said firefighters used fire extinguishers to extinguish the blaze and they also sent some water into the chimney from the roof.
Firefighters were on the roof and ensured there was no fire that had extended into the roof or the roofing material.
No injuries were reported to any customers, employees or firefighters, Zupec said.
Zupecv said there was no damage noted to the interior of the building.
The business said they were closed on Thursday but were able to reopen on Friday. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience! Thank you for your understanding and support.”
The Waukegan Building & Code Department and Lake County Health Department were notified and responded to the scene.
The incident was at least the third fire that occurred at Hillery’s Bar-B-Q in the span of 10 years.
The business previously experienced a fire in December 2020 where firefighters encountered heavy flames in a barbecue pit extending into the chimney and the rest of the building.
Fire officials said at that time that the very popular restaurant would be closed during the holidays.
The other fire occurred in November 2016 in the restaurant’s barbecue pit and sent heavy flames from the chimney as a result of unattended cooking.