The fire in a Chemtool plant is abating, although it continues to burn through the petroleum-based products inside.
Chemtool is owned by Lubrizol, which manufactures additives for greases, engine oils, and lubricants for off-highway vehicles. said it will continue to pay the plant’s employees. According to published reports, the 200 employees will continue to receive salaries and benefits even as the plant is declared a loss.
According to news reports, the plan to battle the fire—left burning so as not to risk contamination of the nearby Rock River—has been working. Officials report that the fire is under control and that water runoff from fighting the fire has been prevented from entering the river.
According to reports, an industrial firefighting company has dug trenches to block contaminants from escaping into the river.
The evacuation of residents continued overnight as officials monitored air quality within a one-mile radius of the site.
