For more than a year, Minooka officials have been working with First American Metal Corp. to help them to meet village ordinances.

"At this point, we'd been working with them to resolve some screening issues," Dan Duffy, Minooka Village Manager said.

Duffy said that the village was asking the business to erect a fence, improve landscaping, clean up the yard and eliminate noise and dust.

"We want to make a buffer between residential (subdivisions) and their location," Duffy said.

First American Metal Corp. is a recycling facility.

In September, a resident came to the village board meeting to express concerns about the business.

On Monday afternoon, the business was the site of a fire that brought mutual aid from multiple fire districts.

In fighting the fire, Minooka Fire Protection District Chief Al Yancy had to call the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency because the water to fight the fire potentially washed chemicals into the storm drain system.

"Upon arrival, crews found a large pile of assorted materials burning that had flames exposed to a large industrial building," Yancy said in a written release. "The pile contained assorted products. Due to the size and conditions of the burning pile and the proximity and exposure to a structure, mutual aid was requested from neighboring towns."

Since the village has no expertise in what materials the business has been dealing with, Duffy said the village also has contacted the IEPA.

The village has deemed the business unfit for occupancy.

"(The) business is closed for safety reasons to public and employees," Duffy said.

"They said they’d be recycling metal material," Duffy said.

But the village was investigating to make sure the company was doing that. Duffy said the village noticed things that were not allowed for the zoning in which the business was located.

"That’s a matter that we are currently looking into," Duffy said.

The fire response included on site response from Channahon Fire Protection District, Troy Fire Protection District, Morris Fire Protection District, Plainfield Fire Protection District, Elwood Fire Protection District, Rockdale Fire Protection District and Oswego Ambulance.

East Joliet and Manhattan Fire District along with Morris Ambulance covered Minooka’s station. Minooka Police assisted with traffic control.  There were no injuries at the fire. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.