Investigators believe they know cause of metro-east industrial park fire, chief says
Investigators believe it was the spontaneous combustion of organic material that ignited a fire at a Sauget industrial park Monday afternoon.
Thick plumes of black smoke billowed from Eagle Industrial Park in the 2400 block of Mississippi Avenue, just north of the intersection with Monsanto Avenue. Police were notified at about 4 p.m., said Sauget Fire Chief Roger Thornton.
Thornton said a warehouse on the property was storing bundles of hemp mulch that “were wrapped really tight and stacked.” The heat generated by its natural decomposition may have set off the fire, he said.
“Once it got started, it took off,” Thornton said. “It was a mess.
“The fire was fully involved. Bright orange flames were coming through the whole roof. It was your typical fire.”
Between 20 and 25 firefighters from Sauget and Cahokia Heights were one the scene through Tuesday morning to address “hot spots” in the rubble.
The 35-acre site, encircled by fencing and barbed wire, is the former site of Big River Zinc Corp. According to an online real estate listing, the property was converted in 2006 to a trans-loading operation that includes storage tanks suitable for both dry and liquid storage.
The warehouse that caught fire contained mostly fiberglass and tires, Thornton said. No other buildings within the complex, including several start-up business tenants, were damaged.
No injuries or air quality issues were reported.
This story was originally published September 27, 2022 at 11:16 AM.
