Fire damages building at abandoned prison in Illinois

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) - Authorities say a fire caused heavy damage to a building at an abandoned prison in northern Illinois.

The Joliet Fire Department says crews responded Monday night after several area residents reported smoke coming from the Joliet Correctional Center. No injuries were reported and the fire at the prison's industries building was extinguished after a few hours.

The prison, which closed in 2002, is featured in "The Blues Brothers" movie as well as the TV series "Prison Break."

The cause of the fire wasn't immediately known. Battalion Chief Jeff Carey tells The (Joliet) Herald-News that two people were walking out of the prison when fire crews arrived and they reported that several people had been hanging out in the former prison.