LA SALLE, Ill. — A large fire broke out at an industrial plant in La Salle Wednesday and cleanup is still underway.
Nearby residents described the scene as an explosion at the Carus Chemical company, which manufactures water treatment products about an hour east of the Quad Cities.
Officials said the fire started around 9 a.m. in the warehouse part of the facility. A large plume of smoke climbing into the air was captured by witnesses.
A shelter-in-place order was issued by the city as a precaution and was lifted just hours later.
"Intense," La Salle Fire Department Chief Jerry Janick said. "Our people were right up close to it. It was a large structure fire. So you have a large body of fire, a lot of heat. Takes a lot of manpower to set up your operation and the amount of water we were flowing."
"It got dark and it looked like a cloud," resident Jamie Hicks said. "And I was looking up at it and I couldn't realize what it was until I stepped outside and then I seen the smoke and the atom bomb that went off was just insane."
All employees were evacuated and accounted for on the scene. Management did not identify how many workers were on-site at the time.
Only one minor injury was reported by a firefighter, but he is expected to be okay.
An investigation is underway surrounding the cause of the fire. The Illinois EPA will be joining for additional testing. EPA officials said no known contaminations and health hazards were discovered as of Wednesday, Jan. 11.
Officials said the fire released a certain material used in drinking water while on scene. It is unclear the impact of the substance, but it has prompted a series of public reactions online. The original post in response to issues faced by residents is below or you're instructed to call the hotline (815) 224-6206.
This all comes just days after marking a month since the Marengo, Iowa plant explosion.
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