Equipment, mulch and pallets catch fire at a Cahokia Heights company

An excavator, mulch and a pile of pallets caught fire Thursday morning at a pallet company at 243 N. 88th Street in Cahokia Heights, according to Assistant Chief Sharon Davis of the Camp Jackson Fire Department.

The fire was reported at 11:20 a.m., Davis said.

“The first crew on scene said they had heavy fire on the excavator, and the mulch pile was starting to smoke,” she said.

Firefighters decided immediately that they needed more manpower and water to fight the fire in the extreme heat. Firefighters from Signal Hill, O’Fallon, Villa Hills, Millstadt and Prairie Dupont, plus Medstar Ambulance joined Camp Jackson in fighting the fire.

In total, Davis said 22 firefighters were on scene. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze by 3:00 p.m.

“One of the belts on the excavator caught on fire,” Davis said. “The fire spread to the mulch pile and then on to the large pile of pallets.

“We are thankful for the mutual aid we received. We could not have done it without all of their help.”