The Commercial-News, Danville, IL

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January 29, 2008

Fire damages Freight Car building

Blaze causes $150,000 in damage

BY BRIAN L. HUCHEL

DANVILLE — A morning fire raced through a rail yard building Tuesday morning, causing serious damage.

The blaze was reported at just before 8:30 a.m. in a compressor room in a building at Freight Car America, 2313 Cannon St.

Deputy Director Bobby Lillard said employees were working on a compressor when one of the fittings blew, spraying hydraulic fluid into an overhead heater.

That ignited the fire, which got into the upper areas of the metal structure, located just north of the Freight Car main building. Lillard said the hydraulic fluid caused some initial concern as a potential hazardous material, but that was not the case.

Heavy smoke was already visible from the building when personnel arrived on the scene. Lillard said firefighters at the scene had a difficult time entering the fire at first because of the heat put out by the blaze and the maze-like interior of the structure, which is used for storage.

Holes were eventually cut in the roof and south wall of the building to vent the fire.

No firefighters were hurt as a result of the blaze, although Lillard said one employee suffered minor burns.

Damages were estimated at $150,000 for the building, although the outer structure was still standing following the blaze. Fire damage to the contents of the building stands at $60,000.

Four fire engines and close to 25 firefighters were called in to battle the blaze.

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