Fire at Metal Plating Company in Illinois Contained with Minimal Water

It was a tense start to a Friday afternoon in Rockford when dozens of firefighters responded to a building fire near containers of hazardous chemicals.

Fire at Rockford's Chem Processing Contained

According to a press release from the Rockford Fire Department, emergency crews responded to a fire at Chem Processing Inc., located at 3910 Linden Oaks Drive around 3:45 pm on Friday (1/31).

Upon arrival, RFD crews quickly determined the incident involved a wooden structure supporting containers of chemicals used in metal plating processes.

Fire Response and Containment

The fire was controlled using dry chemical extinguishers and minimal water application. According to the report, fiberglass containers housing the chemicals remained intact, preventing leaks.

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The facility at Chem Processing Inc. did not sustain structural damage, and no injuries were reported among civilians or fire personnel.

Without a quick response and containment, this could've been an extremely hazardous situation with a propane storage company next to Chem Processing on Linden.

What Does Chem Processing Inc Do?

Established in 1970, Chem Processing Inc. specializes in metal finishing services, including plating, coating, and anodizing.

According to the company website, their services encompass aluminum anodizing, cadmium plating, hard chrome plating, and electroless nickel plating, which serves industries such as aerospace, defense, heavy machinery, and energy.

Investigation Status

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Preliminary reports suggest that the ignition source was unrelated to the company's manufacturing operations, according to the report.

A total of 30 firefighters, including three ladder trucks and a hazardous materials unit, responded to the scene within eight minutes.