Posts Tagged Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Aug 23

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | Comments off

The Boone County Local Emergency Planning Committee is hosting its annual Lunch and Learn next month to focus on responding to a large chemical fire.

The lunch will be on Tuesday, Sep. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Community Building Complex on 111 W. First St. in Belvidere.

Rockton Fire Department Fire Chief Kirk Wilson, along with Boone County EMA Coordinator Dan Zaacard and Rockford Fire Department Division Chief Michele Pankow will go into detail about the response to the chemical fire in Rockton. They will also discuss how residents can prepare for this kind of emergency in the future.

The lunch is free, but a reservation is required to attend.

Tags: Boone County EMA Coordinator Dan Zaacard, chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Lubrizol Inc., Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, Rockford Fire Department Division Chief Michele Pankow, Rockton Fire Department Fire Chief Kirk Wilson

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Jul 3

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | 1 Comment

Excerpts from rrstar.com:

If you have been affected physically or mentally by the June 14 Chemtool fire in Rockton, the Winnebago County Health Department wants to know about it. County Health Department Administrator Sandra Martell is asking residents to complete a health impact survey in response to the fire. Individual information collected from the survey will be kept confidential, and nothing will be published that can identify individuals.

The survey questions were developed and vetted by toxicologists, epidemiologists, and environmental scientists based on previous chemical fires as well as the Chemtool fire. Survey participants are asked where they were during the fire and how they may have been exposed, such as coming in contact with debris, the air or the water. The survey also asks if participants are experiencing any new or worsening physical or mental health symptoms, and, if so, if they received medical treatment.

The intent of the survey is to better understand the symptoms that people may have or still be experiencing. Data from the survey will be analyzed and aggregated to get a complete picture of what the impacts were to our community.

The survey, open to the public until July 15, takes about 15 minutes to complete and is being done in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Lubrizol Inc., Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, Winnebago County Health Department

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Jun 30

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 1 Comment

Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:

An explosion and massive fire at a chemical plant in northern Illinois that filled the sky with black smoke and forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes for days was started accidentally during maintenance work, a senior fire official said.

Rockton Fire Chief Kirk Wilson said in a press release Friday that the June 13 fire at the Chemtool plant near Rockton started when contractors were replacing insulation on an elevated heat transfer piping network. The system heats vessels used in the manufacture of lubricating greases. He did not say what ignited the oil. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

“At the present time, the most credible scenario is that the scissor lift struck a valve or other piece of piping with sufficient mechanical force to cause the release of mineral oil,” Wilson said. “Chemtool operators promptly detected the release and shut down the boiler. They were in the process of placing containment booms, as well as de-pressuring the heat transfer piping network, when the fire ignited.”

The explosions and resulting fires that burned for several days prompted officials to evacuate an estimated 1,000 residents who lived near the plant and they urged all who live within 3 miles of the plant to wear masks due to the threat posed by airborne impurities. Nobody at the plant or in the surrounding community, located near the Illinois-Wisconsin state line, was injured. Evacuated residents were able to return to their homes after four days.

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Lubrizol Inc., Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, Rockton Fire Chief Kirk Wilson

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Jun 25

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | 1 Comment

Excerpts from nbcchicago.com:

An industrial team hired by Lubrizol Inc., parent company of Chemtool, used foam containing PFAS compounds June 15 before switching to another foam without them on orders of the Rockton fire chief. State and federal regulators had raised concerns with the company about the PFAS-containing foam. It is legal in most of the U.S. but generally used only for highly flammable or combustible fires involving gas tankers and oil refineries, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The foam was used “in the early stages of firefighting efforts for a limited time given the heightened risk of letting the fire burn and spread,” Lubrizol said in a statement Wednesday. “Fluorinated foam is twice as effective as non-fluorinated foam in suppressing a fire like the one we experienced and offered the best chance to control the fire in the shortest amount of time. ”

The company said the foam was sprayed on one portion of the site. Before it was applied, Lubrizol and the contractor, U.S. Fire Pumps, dug trenches around the property. The foam and water in which it was diluted were vacuumed up and stored in tanks for appropriate disposal, the statement said.

“We continue to run tests of the soil and water to further validate the effectiveness of the containment measures,” Lubrizol said.

PFAS chemicals belong to a group known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are used in a wide variety of industrial and household products. They have been linked to numerous health problems including cancer and damage to organs including the liver, kidneys and thyroid gland. They are described as forever chemicals because they don’t degrade in the environment or the human body.

Louisiana-based U.S. Fire Pump used about 3,200 gallons of the PFAS-containing foam mixed with 71,000 gallons of water, according to the Illinois EPA.

State officials did not respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. The U.S. EPA said it stood by its earlier statement of concern about use of the foam.

Lubrizol said experts were continuing to monitor air quality in the area of the plant, which manufactured lubricants, grease products, and other fluids. No negative effects have been detected aside from”“the short-term irritation one would normally experience in the presence of smoke,” the company said.

Debris is being removed and properties cleaned, Lubrizol said. The debris will be sent to an EPA- approved facility for disposal.

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, industrial firefighting, Lubrizol Inc., Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, PFAS-containing foam used to battle Rockton industrial fire, US Fire Pump equipment at work at Chemtool in Rockton IL

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Jun 19

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | Comments off

Found at RED Center on Facebook:

As the dispatch center for MABAS-IL Statewide deployments, it has been a busy 48 hours providing support to the Rockton incident! As this incident continues to evolve, initial response estimates are as follows: at least 26 MABAS Divisions, 167 Fire Departments and 350+ personnel have been deployed for on-scene and local support.
A sincere thanks goes out to each dispatch center, department, and individual who have worked round the clock to assist us in this mission!

RED is proud to play a critical role in the Illinois Mutual Aid Box Alarm System. From the initial reports of the incident, RED personnel was monitoring the situation and preparing to send necessary support from all over the state. When the request was made, we were ready. This is what we train for!

An important piece of the MABAS response to Rockton was the Task Forces deployed to cover the local area while Rockton FD handled the Chemtool incident. MABAS Division 3, 13, and 12 each sent 2 engines, 1 ladder truck, 1 squad/heavy rescue company, 3 ambulances, and a chief to serve as the local FD for 12-hour rotations because the day to day emergencies don’t stop during large incidents.

thanks Keith

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Illinois Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, RED Center

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Jun 16

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | 6 Comments

From Tyler Tobolt:

I made a rundown for the Rockton incident.

This is all I have as of 3pm today (6/16/21). I’m sure I’m missing some and more will respond, which the list will be updating on my page “Tri-State Fire Alerts” whenever I get new information.

Rockton Chief 1490, Rockton Chief 1491, Rockton Chief 1492, Rockford District 2, Harlem Roscoe Chief 791, South Beloit Chief, North Park Chief, Cherry Valley Chief, New Milford Chief, New Glarus Chief, Woodstock Chief 403, Algonquin LITH Chief 103, Marengo Chief, Cary Chief 204, McHenry Chief, Crystal Lake Chief 304, Aurora Chief, Malta Chief 1, Batavia Chief, Newport Chief, Highland Park Chief, Winnetka Chief, Countryside Chief 4100, Streamwood Chief 900, South Elgin Chief, Westmont Chief 183, Pleasantview Chief, Silvis Chief, West Chicago Chief 6, Rolling Meadows Chief 151, Lee Chief 2401, Beach Park Chief, Cortland Chief 3, Mount Morris Chief, Frankfort Battalion 71, New Lenox Battalion 63, Wheeling Battalion 24, Grayslake Chief 2701, Libertyville Chief 4600, Oak Brook Chief 94

Rockton Ambulance, Lifeline Ambulance, North Park Medic 8, St Charles Medic, Metro Ambulance, Superior Ambulance, Advance Ambulance, Aurora Medic, Aurora Medic, Huntley Ambulance 951, DeKalb Medic 2, Park Ridge Ambulance 35, Evanston Reserve Ambulance 315, Skokie Ambulance 17R, Sycamore Medic 4, Libertyville Ambulance 461, Mundelein Ambulance 431, Mount Prospect Reserve Ambulance 527, Arlington Heights Reserve Ambulance 124, Elk Grove Village Ambulance 7, Moline Ambulance 12, Rock Island Arsenal Ambulance 42, Capron Ambulance David 19, Bolingbrook Medic, Rutland Dundee Ambulance 51, East Dundee Ambulance 42, Fox River & Countryside Ambulance, Bloomingdale Medic 20, Lombard Medic 46, Addison Medic 74

Rockton Engine 1401, Rockton Engine 1402, Harlem Roscoe Engine 703, Win Bur Sew Engine, Cherry Valley Engine 501, Loves Park Engine 1801, North Park Engine 805, Boone District 3 Engine 2101, Beloit Engine, Belvidere Engine 101, Byron Engine 403, South Beloit Engine 3, Kirkland Engine 2, Beloit Engine 113, Northwest Engine 1201, Monroe Center Engine, Milton Engine, German Valley Engine, Harvard Engine 741, Clinton Engine 412, Janesville Engine 813, Delevan Engine 5, Shirland Engine, Town of Turtle Engine, Pecatonica Engine, Davis Engine, Blackhawk Engine, Stillman Valley Engine, Dakota Engine, Rockford Engine 7, Woodstock Engine 442, Genoa Kingston Engine 16, Maple Park Engine 1101, Shabbona Engine 2518, Malta Engine 6, Cortland Engine 10, Evansville Engine, St Charles Engine 103, North Aurora Engine 501, Glenview Engine 14, Des Plaines Engine 63, Wilmette Engine 27, Skokie Engine 17, Antioch Engine 211, Lake Zurich Engine 321, Wauconda Engine 343, Round Lake Engine 261, Waukegan Engine 1, Westmont Engine 183, Tri State Engine 123, Pleasantview Engine 152, Riverside Engine 1621, La Grange Park Engine 1211, Elburn Engine 301, Malden Engine 55, Ladd Engine 1511, South Elgin Engine 21, Pingree Grove Engine 1213, Glenside Engine 59, Wood Dale Engine 69, Roselle Engine 64

Rockton Truck 1451, Boone District 2 Truck 357, Cherry Valley Truck 551, Leaf River Truck 2456, Janesville Tower 831, South Beloit Quint 4032, Loves Park Truck, Crystal Lake Tower 381, Harlem Roscoe Truck 751, Bartlett Truck 3, Hampshire Truck 1431, Elgin Truck 7, South Elgin Tower 23, Batavia Truck 1, Skokie Truck 18, Mount Morris Truck 5759, Oregon Truck 5351, Hoffman Estates Reserve Tower 22, Arlington Heights Reserve Tower 132, Elk Grove Village Quint 8, Rolling Meadows Truck 15, Palatine Tower 85, Oak Brook Ladder 94, West Chicago Tower 6, Glen Ellyn Tower 62, Roselle Tower 64, Itasca Tower 66, Silvis Truck 4657, Princeton Truck 871, West Dundee Truck 31, Evanston Reserve Truck 311, Hanover Park Tower 15

Edgerton Tender 761, Davis Tender 3675, Town of Beloit Tender 261, Footville Tender 1661, Orfordville Tender 1461, Sharon Tender 4030, Polo Tender 5874, New Milford Tender 971, Mount Morris Tender 5776, Town of Turtle Tender 562, Freeport Rural Tender 3172, Cedarville Tender 3271, Dixon Rural Tender 1, Northwest Tender 1277, Lynn Scott Rock Tender 5071, Stockton Tender 423, Clinton Tender 461, Rock City Tender 3573, Winslow Tender 4073, Boone District 1 Tender 2270, Davis Tender 3675, Boone District 2 Tender 371, Forreston Tender 5978, Stillman Valley Tender 1771, Union Tender 1575, Marengo Tender 1170, Fox River Grove Tender 670, Long Grove Tender 55, Newport Tender 141, Lake Villa Tender 243, Waterman Tender 3, Pearl City Tender 3871, Wenona Tender 16, Peru Tender 316, Tonica Tender 1716, Wallace Tender 941, Utica Tender 1235, Marseilles Tender, Tender 423, Shirland Tender 1676, Oswego Tender 1, Little Rock Fox Tender 361, Sandwich Tender 461, Lisbon Seward Tender 265, Bristol Kendall Tender 161, Geneseo Tender, Coal Valley Tender, Hilsdale Tender, Orion Tender, Silvis Tender, Milledgeville Tender 531, Chadwick Tender 832, Savanna Tender 131, Mt Carroll Tender 223, Shannon Tender, Scales Mound-Galena Territory Tender 922, Apple River Tender, Prophetstown Tender 10, Lee Tender 2483, Fulton Tender 2, Serena Tender, Morris Tender 2327, Tampico Tender 5

South Beloit Squad 2044, Northbrook Squad 11, Tishilwa Squad

Wildland 4, Win Bur Sew Utility 1985 with Foam Trailer, Lake Forest Utility 421, Lincolnshire Riverwoods Utility 51, Newport Utility, Westmont Utility, Rockton Brush 1466, Fox Lake Brush 222, Broadhead Brush 8, Evansville Brush 672, Monticello Brush, Juda Brush, New Glarus Brush, Browntown Brush, Countryside Brush Truck 411, Edgerton Brush 771, Dakota Brush 3462, Footville Brush 1671, Gurnee Utility 1351 with ATV, Long Grove Brush 55 with ATV, Beach Park Utility with ATV, Boone District 2 UTV 1, Division 8 Light Tower, Division 2 Light Tower, Division 27 Light Tower, Division 57 Light Tower, Division 31 Light Tower, Division 17 Light Tower, Division 39 Light Tower, Division 29 ATV, Lanark ATV, Beach Park UTV, MSU North (Division 305), Town of Beloit R-252, Rockford HazMat Trailer 7, Williams Fire Control (US Fire Pump), MABAS 8 Decon, MD-1, Division 2 TRT Trailer, Rockford ARFF, Boone County EMA Air Truck

Bettendorf FD, East Moline FD sent unknown apparatus

Tyler Tobolt

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, Tyler Tobolt

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Jun 16

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene | 7 Comments

From Jeff Rudolph:

Some shots of the industrial fire suppression company “US Fire Pump” out of Louisiana. They arrived in Rockton early Tuesday morning, and brought with them several high volume pumps, portable deluge guns, deluge wagon, and miles of large diameter hose. Jeff Rudolph

Jeff Rudolph photo

Jeff Rudolph photo

US Fire Pump equipment at work at Chemtool in Rockton, IL

Jeff Rudolph photo

Jeff Rudolph photo

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, industrial firefighting, Jeff Rudolph, Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, US Fire Pump, US Fire Pump equipment at work at Chemtool in Rockton IL

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Jun 16

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Truck photos | 2 Comments

From Jeff Rudolph:

some of the Mutual Aid sent to Rockton for day 2

Jeff Rudolph photo

Jeff Rudolph photo

Jeff Rudolph photo

Jeff Rudolph photo

Jeff Rudolph photo

Jeff Rudolph photo

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Des Plaines FD Engine 63, Jeff Rudolph, Long Grove FPD Tanker 55, Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, Newport Township FPD Tender 1464, Sandwich Community FPD Tanker 461, Skokie FD Ambulance 16R, Wenona FPD tanker

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Jun 14

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos | 3 Comments

More photos from the Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21

massive fire ball at chemical company fire

Tim Olk photo

Tim Olk photo

[Show slideshow]

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, Tim Olk

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21

Jun 14

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos | 9 Comments

From Tim Olk at Chem Tools 1165 Prairie Hill Road in Rockton, IL

massive black smoke and flames from chemical fire in Rockton IL

Tim Olk photo

massive black smoke from chemical fire in Rockton IL

Tim Olk photo

[Show slideshow]

Excerpts from abc7Chicago.com:

An explosion close to Rockton, Ill. took place at a Chemtool chemical plant around 7 a.m. and the smoke continues to go south and southeast.

Around 40 to 45 agencies from the northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin were involved, however there has been little success in putting the fire out.

Chemtool makes industrial lubricants. About 70 employees were evacuated prior to firefighters arriving. No employees were injured, but a fire fighter was transported for minor injuries. Chemtool has no compliance violations in the past three years, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency database.

Air quality analysis in the area shows there is no danger to air quality at ground level, but for precautionary measure, fire officials believed it was best to evacuate the area.

Officials believe the fire will be a several day event as the oil-based product burns off. Fire officials stopped water operations in order to avoid an environmental disaster caused by water streams. They are concerned about product runoff to a nearby river, but believe it is best to let the product burn off.

A mandatory evacuation affects all residents and businesses in a one mile radius of 1165 Prairie Hill Road. Drivers are advised to avoid the area.