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Giant fan ventilates Des Plaines factory after overnight fire

A fire in a trash compactor attached to a Des Plaines factory caused heavy smoke to fill the plant and an evacuation of night shift employees early Friday, authorities said.

The fire on the 800 block of Seegers Road at 1:42 a.m. was contained to the compactor and the large enclosed dumpster connected to it. Employees returned about an hour later after a giant fan was used to ventilate the factory.

It was the third time in a little over two weeks that Des Plaines firefighters used the giant fan, which is owned by the department's mutual aid organization and housed at the Wheeling Fire Department, said Des Plaines Fire Chief Alan Wax.

No injuries were reported, and a cause of the fire is under investigation.

The last firefighting unit left the scene at 3:30 a.m.

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