Authorities investigate explosion in Hanover Park

Investigators are on the scene today of an explosion and fire that heavily damaged three businesses in a Lake Street strip mall in Hanover Park late Friday night.

Hanover Park Fire Chief Craig Haigh said investigators from the fire and police department, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are trying to piece together what caused the explosion and fire at 2360 Lake St.

No one was injured in the two-alarm fire, which was called into the department at 10:53 p.m., Haigh said. A laundromat, grocery store and restaurant were heavily damaged and are closed.

Haigh confirmed that an explosion occurred, followed by heavy fire and smoke that spread quickly through the adjacent businesses.

"I can tell you for sure we have an explosion," he said, but declined to say where the explosion originated as the investigation continues. The ATF was called in to assist as soon as the fire was extinguished, he said.

"We know for sure we had an explosion. What I don't know at this point is what caused the explosion," Haigh said. "There are a couple options that we're trying to explore. Right now, we have our investigation team over there. ... We have been assisted by ATF and we're trying to piece together exactly what took place."

All three businesses were closed at the time of the fire. The five-unit mall also includes a video/music store and a convenience store, which was the only business open at the time of the explosion, officials said.

The department received several calls about the explosion, including one from a residence that's just a few feet north of the businesses, he said. The people who live there, along with people who were inside the convenience store had already exited the buildings by the time emergency crews arrived, Haigh said. Firefighters did search the buildings just to make sure no one was inside.

All three of the businesses were heavily damaged, he said. No damage estimate is yet available.

Firefighters from scores of other departments assisted, including Bartlett, Streamwood, Roselle, Elgin, Hoffman Estates and Itasca, Haigh said.