Workers safe as blaze damages metals plant

Aurora Township firefighters on Friday battled the first major blaze in their newly formed department's history.

No one was injured in the industrial fire that caused an estimated $500,000 in damage after erupting around 7:50 a.m. at T&L Mfg. Corp. at 1665 Dearborn Ave. on Aurora's east side, authorities said.

The blaze was triggered when a worker at the metal-processing plant was grinding parts and the sparks ignited a wall, Aurora Township Fire Chief Rob Watermann said.

The employee initially tried to extinguish the fire on his own, "but it had too much of a jump," Watermann said.

He said the fire was contained to one portion of the building but damage was extensive because the wooden structure had a type of roof that's more susceptible to collapse.

Fifteen employees were in the building at the time. All escaped safely.

Fire officials extinguished the blaze by 8:30 a.m. Crews from Montgomery, Aurora and Oswego fire departments also were on the scene.

Officials still are investigating the fire's cause, though all evidence indicates it's an accident, Watermann said. No neighboring businesses were affected.

The industrial blaze is the department's first major incident, Watermann said.

In November, voters overwhelmingly approved combining the South Park and Moecherville fire protection districts into one department to maximize resources.

The Aurora Township Fire Department, which became official in January, has 42 firefighters. It operates out of two stations, one on Seventh Avenue in Aurora and the other on Montgomery Road in Montgomery.

The department serves regions that include the Moecherville area to the Burlington Railroad tracks and the DuPage County line, as well as eastern and southern parts of Montgomery.