UPDATE (9:58 p.m.)– The cause of the fire is still being investigated, however, a dump truck has been declared a total loss.
No injuries have been reported at this time.
The building suffered significant heat and smoke damage and is still being assessed for the cost of damages.
EDWARDS, Ill. (WMBD) — Crews are currently on the scene of a fire that occurred at an Illinois Department of Transportation facility just west of Peoria’s city limits.
Peoria and Dunlap fire departments and the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fire at the Peoria West IDOT Maintenance/Operations Yard on Highway 150 near Trigger Road and War Memorial Drive in Edwards.
The call initially came into the Peoria Fire Department about a report of smoke in the neighborhood adjacent to the facility.
As crews arrived on the scene, they quickly learned that was not the situation.
Instead, they realized the smoke was coming from the IDOT facility near the neighborhood, which is actually part of Dunlap Fire Department’s jurisdiction.
Crews found a snowplow inside the facility on fire. Peoria Fire Department stayed on the scene to assist Dunlap in getting the fire put out quickly.
The quick action from the departments saved extensive damage from happening to the facility.
The snowplow is expected to be severely damaged.
IDOT spokesman Paul Wappel said the fire will not impact IDOT’s day-to-day operations and there were no injuries due to the fire.
“A fire earlier this evening caused an undetermined amount of damage to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Peoria West Maintenance Yard, located at 6500 W. U.S. 150 in Edwards. No IDOT employees were in the building at the time of the fire, which occurred after work hours, and there were no injuries. The fire will not impact IDOT’s day-to-day operations. The Peoria Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire, which did not affect IDOT’s other nearby facilities.”
The IDOT Maintenance/Operations Yards are the hubs in each region that are responsible for the maintenance of the state highway system and the state’s local roads and streets. IDOT material labs ensure quality materials are used in highway projects.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
