Tim Olk headed south this morning to cover a commercial fire at a glass factory in Chicago Heights, located at 1131 Arnold Street. According to a report from nwi.com, no one was injured when a fire broke out at the Gerresheimer Glass Co. on Tuesday morning.
Fire officials stated that firefighters were called around 9 a.m. after a furnace malfunction caused molten glass to spew out like lava. Upon arrival, crews immediately began dousing the furnace with water. However, a steam explosion occurred on the third floor, sending molten glass flying onto the structure and igniting a fire, according to Chicago Heights Fire Chief James Angell.
The blaze burned for approximately 45 minutes before being fully extinguished. Firefighters stayed on site to assist plant workers in restarting the furnace, ensuring the molten glass didn’t solidify. The facility, which has been operating at the same location since the early 1900s, produces primary glass packaging for pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
Chief Angell mentioned that additional help was requested due to both the size of the building and the cold weather. Firefighters from nearby areas such as Matteson, Park Forest, Glenwood, Homewood, Flossmoor, Sauk Village, Frankfort, Steger, and Hazel Crest responded to the call. Meanwhile, crews from Crete, Richton Park, Crete Township, University Park, and Richton Park Township managed other calls in Chicago Heights.
Photos by Tim Olk capture the intensity of the scene, showing the impact of the fire on the industrial building during winter conditions.
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