A fire outside Arbor Animal Hospital in La Grange Park destroyed four vehicles parked in a lot at an adjacent medical office building and forced evacuations at the animal hospital, medical offices, and a nearby BP gas station, according to a news release from La Grange Park Fire Chief Dean Maggos.
There were no reported injuries to people or animals in the Aug. 4 fire, Maggos said.
According to the Fire Department, firefighters responded at 1:35 p.m. to Arbor Animal Hospital, 14 E. 31st St., and found “heavy fire with several vehicles burning” in the adjacent lot.
“It appears a utility pole came down in the rear parking lot, along with two transformers and three primary power lines. Oil spilling from the transformer ignited, and the burning oil ran down the parking lot driveway along the Animal Hospital,” fire officials said in the release. “The fire ignited and destroyed four vehicles in the parking lot of the adjacent medical office building at 48 E. 31st. St.”
The incident was elevated to “full-still” status based on the volume of fire and nearby buildings, they said.
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“Firefighters’ initial efforts to extinguish the fire were hampered by the downed live electrical lines which appeared to be involved in the fire,” the release stated. “Firefighters repositioned their hose lines and were able to safely knock down the fire in several vehicles until ComEd could arrive and make the area safe. Firefighters then extinguished the remaining fire in the vehicles and transformers.”
Officials said ComEd restored power to the area within several hours and later replaced the utility pole, restored power to the animal hospital and gas station. Workers also cleaned up the area, including remaining mineral oil that had spilled from the transformers.
Besides the four vehicles that were destroyed, the driveway and parking lot pavement were damaged, though there was no estimated dollar amount for the loss, according to the Fire Department.
Several neighboring fire departments assisted at the scene as well as covered La Grange Park stations during the incident, officials said.