Excerpts from nbcchicago.com:
For the second time in three months, the iconic old prison in suburban Joliet has caught fire.
Joliet police said Monday morning the former Joliet Correctional Center was on fire, but it was not clear how serious the flames were. Traffic near the prison was being detoured as firefighters battled the flames.
Further details weren’t immediately released, but a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Corrections, which owns the facility, said the fire was under control just before 11 a.m.
In May, a massive fire erupted at the former prison, which was built in 1858.
The prison closed in 2002, and whle it has not had any inmates since, it served as somewhat of a tourist attraction in the area.
Several high-profile inmates spent time at the facility, including serial killer John Wayne Gacey. Movies including the Blues Brothers and numerous television shows have also filmed at the old prison.
