Fire at IKEA Distribution Center Seen for Miles

When an individual driving by the IKEA Distribution Center in Joliet saw smoke, they called 911 to alert first responders. And it was a good thing they did – the fire on the roof had not yet triggered alarms or sprinklers, though it wouldn’t take long before it did.

The smoke from the fire could be seen for miles, with reports of smoke coming from nearby towns.

Joliet Fire Department Chief Jeff Carey explained that a first responder in the area heard the call and responded within minutes; the department arrived shortly thereafter, with heavy fire and smoke showing on the northwest section of the warehouse. 

“Yesterday, April 29, at approximately 10:15 a.m., a fire occurred on the roof of the IKEA Joliet distribution center. At IKEA, our priority is the safety of our co-workers, and we are happy to report everyone on the premises was evacuated safely,” the IKEA Press Team reported.

Not only did IKEA management quickly and safely evacuate all the building’s employees, but they also made sure all of the doors and dock doors were closed, which was critical in helping to prevent the fire from spreading.

“On one door they were doing maintenance, and they had trouble initially getting it closed. They said you could feel the influx of air coming in. They were able to get the door down, which stops a lot of that air flow to keep the fire from spreading,” Carey commented.

After the fire had breached the roof and infiltrated the top tier of racks, the entire building rapidly filled with smoke, triggering the sprinkler system, which they let run to assist in fighting the fire.

“They did a really good job. It could’ve gone bad quickly – it was a bad situation, with fire inside and outside,” Carey said of IKEA’s response to the fire.

A total of 81 firefighters worked the scene, with mutual aid from East Joliet Fire Department and Lockport. Carey reported five ladder trucks, eight engines, one squad, two battalion chiefs, and about eight additional chiefs and officers helped with the command and control of the fire.

One firefighter from the Joliet Fire Department was transported to the hospital for dehydration and exhaustion; he was treated and released. Cary said he is doing well now.

“Sprinklers were going off inside, but because it’s so tightly packed in there – it’s automated, not wide open aisles – it’s hard to get at. We used two-and-a-half-inch hose lines for more volume and reach to hit the raking systems underneath the roof, while five ladder trucks got at the fire on the roof,” Carey explained as to how the fire was attacked.

The fire was out and under control by 12:15 p.m., but Cary said the next day, on April 30, they still had a crew there as a precaution.

“Due to the fact of it being so tightly packed, we needed to get some of those automation systems up and running to remove some of the debris. So, we have an engine and ladder truck on scene as they pull the material out. We might still get smoldering product, and we want to make sure we still have lines in the building so we can put out any flare-ups,” Cary explained.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and investigators are working to confirm it. However, the fire appears to have started in the area where the solar panels are, so it is possible they could have contributed to the cause, Carey explained, before affirming investigators would determine the exact cause.

One-third of the roof and at least 100 solar panels burned in the fire.

“The fire has been contained, and we are working closely with Joliet Fire Department and our safety officials to investigate the cause. Customer orders fulfilled through this distribution center may be delayed temporarily,” the statement from IKEA explained.

Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.