Westclox up date 1/4/2012

aerial photo of Westclox

Last night around 8:45 the phone started tweeting once again about Westclox. After most firefighters left the area more aide was called into the fire. The hot spots once again rekindled. Police once again blocked off traffic to allow Spring Valley to get in with a snorkel truck. While other area firefighters used an aerial truck and attacking the middle building on foot.

Small town efforts from Ladd and Standard were called in around 10:45 to bring the pumper trucks. I have 2 cousins from the small town of the Standard fire department. So my thoughts and prayers have been going out them.

Later in the night, LaSalle, Oglesby, and Utica were called in. Firefighters were on the scene until 4am.

When I brought the girls to school today we drove through a patch of thick smoke. I can't imagine living close the fire that could still be burning through the weekend.

This is bad news for the business that is losing work this week and would like to get back in. Most of the small shops are looking for other temporary locations.

Here in the LaSalle-Peru area, we do not have a tv station so the only way to get our news is the radio and paper. I would like to say to the reporters out there thank you. Do to twitter and youtube people can get updates much faster and stay out of the way of the firefighters.

Allison Ryan of the News Tribune even took the time to shot a video last night and post it on youtube.

Westclox Fire of 2011/2012

Westclox Fire 2011/2012

So on New Years Eve around 11:55 we heard and explosion and giggled stating that it was too early for fireworks. After 12:30 it was time to go to bed. That's when we heard all the sirens blaring. Now normally  on new years eve, you think it's a bad accident. But the sirens kept going. So we turned on the scanner to hear that the Westclox building was burning. Now this is a huge I mean huge building over 2 blocks wide and 4 blocks long. The building was built in the 1890's. There is a lot of history in the building for these 2 small towns. Firefighters from over 20 towns came in to fight this fire. They have still called in many tanker trucks from everywhere.

Back of Westclox 1902

So to many this is like losing a loved one. Westclox brought a lot of jobs to this town. And when it closed in 1980 brought on a depression. The town really started to dry up. The young moved on the older stayed and the businessmen that built their lives here struggled. I know for my father and grandfather had the contract with them. For years, they took the pictures for the catalogs and its parts. Not to mention all of their families.

Just how big this building is.

So when you hear how people are taking this hard I can side with them. It's an odd pain. We always wanted something to come off the building but not like this. Here are a few news bits and photos of the story.

Still burning 48 hours later

Firefighters have contained the blaze that destroyed part of the massive Westclox building, but officials say it may be a week before it is extinguished.

Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei says the fire that broke out around midnight on New Year’s Eve at the Westclox complex in Peru is smoldering. He says the city’s fire department and departments from 15 other towns battled the fire with aerial trucks on Monday.

Bernabei says there is no danger of the fire spreading from the middle building to other buildings in the complex. The last of Westclox neighbors evacuated from their homes were allowed to return yesterday morning.

Duncan says the three buildings make up the property and that it was the middle one that was burning. He says that building has pretty much collapsed. He says they knew they weren’t going to send firefighters inside.

Rolls of film, plastic, and some Styrofoam were among the materials burning. He says there weren’t any chemicals.

Several blocks north and west of the building were evacuated but most of those areas have been reopened. Several homes on Franklin Street will remain evacuated.

La Salle Firefighter Steve Smith had to undergo surgery after being injured during the set up according to La Salle Fire Chief Andy Bacidore. He’s in good condition at Illinois Valley Community Hospital.

A 17-year-old boy from La Salle and a 15-year-old boy from Peru have been charged with aggravated arson.

Thursday is the next court appearance for the accused co-arsonist Steven Gallagher.

The teen from La Salle will officially be charged with one count of aggravated arson Thursday morning in La Salle County Court. He and a 15-year old boy from Peru are accused of getting into Westclox Saturday night thru an open window. They then allegedly found a boat that was being stored in the building and set it on fire.

La Salle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne says the pair was arrested just a couple hours after the fire started. He says Peru Police used information from an informant to arrest the two teens in the arson.

Gallagher is being held at the La Salle County Jail on 250 thousand dollars bond. The 15-year old is in the county detention home. He’ll be in court Tuesday morning.

Towne wouldn’t say if either teen had a criminal history.

A nice video showing the size of the building. I just read that firefighters have used 1 millon gallons of water on the fire. Thats enough to fill a pool 267 ft. long by 50 ft wide and 10 ft deep!


Some of the sources can be found on my twitter. Please feel free to visit our local paper for story's and updates.

WWW.newstrib.com

www.wlop.net

Or the following Twitter Reports

@NT_LaSalle

@am1220wlpo

@NT_Peru

@NT_Springvalley

And of course you can follow me 

@mda4life