More on the fire in Zion on Sunday at Maine Plastics.
The was in the outside yard of a recycling facility that bands various paper goods and material into large bundles for reuse by others. According to the company web site:
Maine Plastics is a buyer, seller, and recycler of plastics, metals, paper scrap, and uncommon materials. We also offer baling, grinding, material seperation, metal detection and removal services at our plants nationwide.
First arriving companies were on the scene around 7AM, and the alarm was upgraded to a MABAS Box Alarm. They also requested the Quad 2 Foam Unit (a 1992 Oshkosh T-3000) out of Round Lake. Approximately an hour later, a 2nd Alarm was struck for additional companies. The Winthrop Harbor and Zion trucks were deployed with elevated master streams on the north side of the facility, and the Antioch tower ladder was setup to the south. When the ARFF arrived, the Zion truck was repositioned and the water supply for Winthrop harbor was re-directed to the ARFF.
Thick smoke billows from what appears to be the industrial building at 1817 Kenosha Road in Zion, when in reality the fire was outside behind the building. Larry Shapiro photo
Zion firefighters use the truck to deploy an elevated master stream into the heavy fire. On the right side of the image is the Quad 2 Foam Truck. Larry Shapiro photo
Heavy smoke and fire is generated from burning paper goods and plastics. Larry Shapiro photo
Another image of the material burning in the yard as a stream from the Zion ladder truck works to cool things down. Larry Shapiro photo
Kenosha Engine 4 was on a hydrant at Kenosha Road and Route 173 with 800′ of 5″ LDH behind it. Larry Shapiro photo
A 3rd Alarm was struck an hour or so later, and subsequently a Haz Mat Box Alarm was requested for techs to advise on the hazards of the burning plastics and other products.
3rd alarm companies including this engine from Paris (WI) maneuver in the staging area upon arrival. Larry Shapiro photo
Master streams from the Zion truck and the Quad 2 Foam Unit work on the fire from the north end of the lot. Larry Shapiro photo
A Zion firefighter directs the master stream from the tip of the aerial. Larry Shapiro photo
Units on the scene included the following:
- Engines from: Zion (2), Grayslake, Pleasant Prairie (WI), Knollwood, Libertyville, Beach Park. Richmond, Salem (WI), Barrington (quint), Spring Grove, Mundelein, Highland Park, Highwood (quint), Paris (WI), Newport Township (2), Kenosha (WI), Abbott Labs
- Trucks from: Winthrop Harbor, Zion, Antioch, Round Lake, Palatine, Wauconda, South Shore (WI)
- Ambulances from: Zion, Lake Villa, Gurnee, Lake Forest, Salem (WI), Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, and Countryside
- Squads from: Zion, Fox Lake, Deerfield, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Long Grove
- Special duty units: Quad 2 Foam Unit (ARFF), MABAS Air 3, MABAS Decon 4, MABAS 4 & 5 Haz Mat, MESS Canteen (3), Zion ESDA (5), ILEAS Unified Command Post, and the Quad 2 Command Unit
After the 3rd Alarm was in, additional water was needed to supply a Round Lake tower ladder. The Newport Township hose tender (Engine 1413) dropped roughly 2,500′ of 5″ large diameter hose (LDH) to a nearby pond to initiate a drafting operation. Engines from Paris (WI) and Pleasant Prairie (WI) were placed in-line to boost the pressure for this long run.
Newport Township Engine 1413 dropped 2,500 feet of hose to reach this pond for drafting. Larry Shapiro photo
This engine from Paris (WI) was pumping in-line to boost the pressure heading towards the Round Lake tower ladder. Larry Shapiro photo
Units at the fire scene represented five different MABAS Divisions (3,4,5,101, and 102) as well as five counties (Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kenosha, and Racine), and two states (IL & WI).
After the bulk of the fire was knocked down, the elevated streams on the north end of the scene were shut down and the ARFF continued to work while two end loaders moved the debris around. Larry Shapiro photo
Seen from the south end of the lot, the ARFF puts out a considerable stream to douse the burning debris. Larry Shapiro photo
Over five hours into the initial alarm, flareups continue from the debris piles as a stream from the ARFF can be seen working to darken down the flames. Larry Shapiro photo
The MABAS Division 3 Air unit was one of several specialty apparatus called to the scene. Larry Shapiro photo
A large gallery of images can be fond HERE.
