From staff reports
A fire last Thursday afternoon practically destroyed an Orland Park gym and knocked out neighboring businesses, as well.
Orland Park firefighters received a call at 2:31 p.m. June 20 for a reported fire in the UFC Gym located at 66 Orland Square Drive Unit C. Multiple 911 calls were received for a fire in the rear of the gym in the vicinity of the electrical panels.
Companies arrived on the scene and found flames running up the walls in the storage area. The fire was spreading quickly because of combustibles stored near the rear electrical panels.
The electrical panels needed to be de-energized so Com Ed was called to the scene. Fire companies arriving on the scene deployed handlines to extinguish the fire.
A full still alarm was called to provide additional manpower and equipment to the scene and to staff Orland fire stations. A box alarm was activated for additional resources because of air temperatures exceeding 90 degrees, high humidity, and additional rehab activities.
Firefighters had to assist with searching the gym building as well as neighboring Gizmos and Skyzone, which were open and filled with guests.
A rapid primary search revealed the gym had been evacuated and was unoccupied.
The fire was quickly brought under control and multiple fire crews from the Orland Fire District arrived on the scene and assisted with fire control, search and rescue, and overhaul of the structure.
The gym had quickly filled with heavy smoke from floor to ceiling. Crews prevented the fire from spreading to the other businesses and contained the smoke to the gym.
Because of the large volume of smoke, a MABAS specialized ventilation fan unit was brought to the scene to clear the air. Crews also went to the roof and cut holes to aid in ventilation.
The fire is under investigation at this time by the Orland Fire District Origin and Cause Team and The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The business is currently uninhabitable and damage was extensive. Gizmos and Skyzone were also closed until electrical repairs could be made.
Other departments providing coverage and manpower were Palos Fire, Tinley Fire, Palos Heights, Lemont Fire, North Palos, Homer Fire, Evergreen Park, Crestwood, Oak Forest and other MABAS departments.
There were no injuries reported.