KEWANEE, Ill. — Update: Two juveniles have been apprehended in connection with a fire that destroyed the former Kewanee Boiler Co. building on Saturday night, according to Kewanee Police.
When police responded to the scene of the fire, officers began taking reports from witnesses who said they saw a group of juveniles leaving the scene just before the fire broke out. A Kewanee Police in-car camera also captured footage of the same kids in the area as officers arrived.
Officers were able to locate and apprehend two juveniles in connection with the fire after several hours of efforts.
A 15-year-old juvenile faces charges of criminal trespass to property, and a 16-year-old faces charges of criminal trespass to property and criminal damage to property by means of fire.
Both juveniles have been released with Juvenile Referral Forms for the Henry County Juvenile Probation Office.
Charges against the two juveniles may change as the investigation continues. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Kewanee Police Department at (309) 853-1911.
Original story:
The Kewanee Fire Department was on the scene of a large fire at the former Kewanee Boiler shop for hours starting around 6 p.m. Saturday, and as it still smoldered into Sunday.
The fire department was dispatched around 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4 to the property near the intersection of Rose and Franklin Streets. As of 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, crews were still battling flames as the roof of the building appeared to collapse.
The City confirms in a Facebook social media post that the building is the old Kewanee Boiler shop. The city asks that residents stay clear of the area as first responders work to put out the fire.
Mayor Gary Moore said in a Facebook post that he "hates to see a Kewanee landmark burning to the ground." Moore reports that the Kewanee Fire, Police, and Public Works Departments were assisted by the Geneseo Fire Department, Henry County Office of Emergency Management, Henry County Sheriff's Department, and other volunteers.
Residents in the area told News 8 that police had instructed community members to stay inside while crews worked at the scene.
The history of the Kewanee Boiler Company dates back to 1892, according to the Kewanee Historial Society. The company moved to its permanent location in 1900 and closed its doors in 2002.
The Society's last record of the ownership of the property indicates it was bought by a company out of Indiana in 2003.
The Kewanee Preservation Society shared a social media post on their Facebook page, saying it was a sad day in Kewanee. "Although it was set for demolition later this year, we were trying to save some of the structure to relocate to the memorial. We are hoping (we) can still use some of the pieces or parts of the portico can be used... The memorial will still go forward!"
The industry also provided the namesake for the Kewanee High School's Boilermakers.
This is a breaking news story. News 8 will update this news story as more information is made available. Download our app and subscribe to our YouTube channel for updates.
