Waukegan Boat Warehouse Fire Causes Several Million Dollars In Damage
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A fire at a boat storage facility in north suburban Waukegan on Wednesday night caused millions of dollars in damages to the yachts inside.
The fire started around 8 p.m. at the Bay Marine boat warehouse, which stored 60 to 70 yachts, according to the Waukegan Fire Department.
Firefighters who responded to the blaze faced difficulty navigating the facility due to the amount of smoke and flames. The response was eventually upgraded to a 4th alarm due to the size of the fire, and the extreme cold. Approximately100 firefighters from departments in Lake, McHenry, and Kenosha counties responded to the scene, and spent 6 ½ hours battling the flames before bringing the blaze under control.
"The crews did an exceptional job in very extreme conditions. The nature of the boat storage is difficult to navigate in smoke and fire conditions. The multiple alarms allowed Command to rotate crews to keep them safe during a difficult fire," Waukegan Fire Marshal Todd Zupec said in a statement.
No injuries were reported, but fire officials estimated the blaze caused several millions of dollars in damage to the warehouse and the boats inside.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
