SHOREWOOD (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Firefighters will be out all day putting out hot spots left by a fire that destroyed a garden and farm feed store in the far southwestern suburbs early Tuesday morning.
According to Troy Fire Protection District Chief Andy Doyle, the first 911 call came in around 4:30 a.m. about a fire at the Tri-County Stockdale Company, at 25520 Black Rd., in Shorewood.
“They sell fertilizer, pesticides, animal feed. I would equate it to your old-fashioned farm store,” Chief Doyle said.
Nearby residents were asked to remain in their homes for about four hours because of the risk of breathing toxic fumes.
“Once the fertilizer and pesticides started burning, it causes toxic smoke and, with the weather we had, the humidity’s been keeping smoke closer to the ground.”
Chief Andy Doyle said water had to be trucked in because the one fire hydrant in front of the store was not producing enough water to put out the fire. He also said water had to be poured on four large propane tanks to keep them from exploding.
“We had some concerns on the west side of the building. There’s a large grain elevator leg that came up that, if that collapsed and went to the west, it would take out all the power lines to the west and that would have put out the power to almost all of Shorewood,” said Chief Doyle.
“There were some animals inside, some chickens, some exotic birds were in there. My understanding is they’ve all been rescued and out—the birds. I know when I left the scene at seven o’clock this morning, the chickens were running around the front of the yard,” the chief added.
Chief Doyle said about 15 other fire departments with about 60 firefighters helped the Troy Fire Protection District. He said the departments were from Will, Cook, Kendall and Grundy counties, including from as far away as Frankfort, Morris, Oswego and Lemont.
Fire investigators and the state fire marshal are looking into the cause of the fire.
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