At approximately 3:37 p.m. on Sunday, November 26, the Beecher Fire Protection District, along with automatic aid, responded to a structural fire at 1624 E. Eagle Lake Road. Due to reports of animals still inside the building, the alarm was escalated to the full still alarm level prior to arrival.
The first suppression company arrived on the scene within eight minutes of the initial call for service. Crews found a large agricultural building with heavy fire conditions. The alarm was escalated to the MABAS Box Alarm to bring in additional resources. Advanced fire conditions also were posing a threat to the exposure buildings to the east and north sides of the structure.
Due to the extensive fire conditions, a defensive operation was declared. Crews deployed several hose lines, portable master streams, and performed extensive overhaul to extinguish the fire.
The escalation to the MABAS Box Alarm level brought in a total of eight engine companies, two truck/tower ladders, nine tenders, two ambulances, and nine chief officers The closest fire hydrant was approximately 2.5 miles away, which prompted a rural water supply operation to be established and a tender water shuttle to be initiated.
Two residents were evaluated by EMS at the scene for smoke inhalation. With the help of the homeowners, fire department personnel were able to rescue one horse and two dogs from the barn, but unfortunately four horses perished in the fire.
The origin and cause of the fire currently are under investigation by the fire investigators of the MABAS 27/24 Origin and Cause Team. Damage estimates were not available at the time of this release.
The Beecher Fire Protection District responded with one engine, one engine/tender, one ambulance, one chief officer, and two support vehicles.
Multiple agencies were on the scene and at the Beecher fire station to cover any additional calls for service during that time. These included the following fire protection districts: Manhattan, Crete Township, Grant Park, Monee, Momence, Manteno, and Frankfort. Also responding were the following fire departments: Crete, University Park, Sauk Village, South Chicago Heights, Lowell, Park Forest, Steger, Matteson, Richton Park, Dyer, Lake Dalecarlia, Lynwood, Glenwood, and Tinley Park, plus the Washington Township Highway Department, and the Will County Sheriff’s Office.
