January 12, 2021
BARTLETT, IL – Fire sprinklers controlled a fire in a 400,000-square-foot warehouse in Bartlett where dense, high-piled cardboard beverage trays used by fast-food restaurants were being stored.
According to Fire Marshal Michael Heimbecker, Bartlett Fire Protection District, when the fire crew arrived, warehouse employees reported smoke and flames inside the buildings. The warehouse was filled with smoke creating very poor visibility. Crews found three sprinklers controlled a deep-seated fire burning within a high-piled dense cardboard.
Heimbecker said the sprinklers held the fire to the area of origin and helped firefighters extinguish the fire. Without sprinklers, the potential loss to the three businesses operating in the building would have been significant with approximately $30 million in product located in the building.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was accidental.
Sources: Daily Herald and Bartlett Fire Protection District Press Release