Fire breaks out in Prospect Heights strip mall, causing heavy damage and closed roads

A fire broke out Tuesday afternoon in a Subway restaurant at a Prospect Heights strip mall and spread to several adjoining businesses, causing heavy damage as well as the closure of two nearby roadways.

According to Prospect Heights Fire District officials, the fire began shortly after 12:30 p.m. in an electrical panel in the backroom of the restaurant at 1209 N. Elmhurst Road.

Firefighters and Prospect Heights police officers responded and evacuated all businesses and homes in the affected area, with the assistance of Wheeling police, officials said. No injuries have been reported.

Four stores are destroyed, and eight others either have fire, water or smoke damage, ABC 7 Chicago reported. Nearby apartments were not damaged.

The fire has been extinguished, but crews remain on the scene and an investigation into the blaze is ongoing. As a result, Elmhurst Road was closed in both directions between Prospect Drive and Hintz Road, and Hintz was closed between Willowbrook Drive and Elmhurst Road.

In addition to Prospect Heights firefighters, crews from Wheeling, Morton Grove, Northfield, Northbrook, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Elk Grove, Lincolnshire, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Rosemont, North Maine, Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, Glenview, Deerfield, Bannockburn, Rolling Meadows assisted, along with the State Fire Marshal, Nicor and ComEd.