An Illinois pipe manufacturing plant is considered a total loss after a three-alarm fire ripped through the facility early Monday, according to local reports.
Two employees arrived to work at Rovanco Piping Systems in Joliet at about 4 a.m. to find smoke, WGN-TV reported; by the time firefighters arrived, flames had spread to the plant’s roof. Local authorities told the station that the fire caused at least four explosions at the facility.
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One firefighter reportedly suffered burn injuries after entering the complex with others in an attempt to prevent the spread of the fire to an office area. He was reported to be in stable condition at a hospital near Chicago. No other injuries were reported, and authorities noted that favorable winds prevented the fire from threatening nearby homes.
But the plant’s open design, as well as delays in getting water to the unincorporated area of Joliet — where no hydrants are installed — hindered firefighters’ efforts at the facility itself. The building was considered a loss with damages estimated to be between $25 million and $30 million.
Rovanco makes pre-insulated diesel exhaust and fluid piping systems. The company had recently invested some $40 million in an expansion in Joliet, officials noted.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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