Excerpts from wgntv.com:
Firefighters battled a large fire at an Elgin commercial building Tuesday afternoon in the 1000 block of St. Charles Street at Welch Brothers construction supply.
The company is well known and has been in business in Elgin for 50 years, supplying government agencies and even a plumbing company next door, whose employees saw the fire and the response.
Elgin firefighters were able to contain the fire to one building on the property. Multiple people were inside the building at the time the fire started. They called 911 when they heard explosions and saw smoke.
Most of the Elgin Fire Department plus nine neighboring agencies responded to the scene.
The fire was put out at around 2:30 p.m. No injuries were reported.