An explosion occurred Monday morning near Rockton, Illinois, at a Chemtool chemical plant.
Videos posted on social media show large black smoke and fire burning at the Chemtool plant.
According to the Rockton Police Department, a mandatory evacuation order is in effect for parts of the area.
“This notice affects all residents and business south of Chem Tool on Prairie Hill rd. Traffic is advised to avoid area,” the alert reads. “Please evacuate the area. Wait for further instructions.”
Chemtool is one of the largest grease manufacturers in the United States of America.
Watch 10 videos of the horrific and massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton
JUST IN – Large blaze at a Chemtool plant in Rockton, Illinois, after a massive explosion. Evacuations ordered in the area.pic.twitter.com/Js5XQO2bD4
— Disclose.tv 🚨 (@disclosetv) June 14, 2021
The scene of this morning’s explosion at the Chemtool plant in Rockton, seen by neighbors off Fischer Road in South Beloit. Evacuation orders in place for anyone within a mile of the building. @cbschicago
Photo c/o Lindsey Oswald pic.twitter.com/DP5rX4c8My
— Marie Saavedra (@MSaavedraTV) June 14, 2021
The flames are still tearing through the Chemtool Plant in Rockton.
The grease manufacturing plant caught fire just after 7 this morning.
Video from @MaggiePolsean’s @13WREX Facebook live shows the scope of what firefighters are dealing with. pic.twitter.com/ME1R9l9ykF
— James Stratton (@JamesStrattonTV) June 14, 2021
Evacuations underway in #Illinois following explosion at Chemtool #Chemical Plant
A full-scale evacuation is underway as deadly fumes are sent into the air. #Chemtool makes and distributes a wide variety of chemicals.#Explosions are continuing to occur.#Rockford #IL pic.twitter.com/qZ9awFwsVl
— Steve_Ampy 🏈 💬 (@steve_ampy) June 14, 2021
My first time capturing an explosion from the air!😲 We were doing our final pass on the scene in @WGNMorningNews #Skycam9 when this happened at what was already an out of control fire at Chemtool in Rockton, IL. Heading back up for the live 11am show. Tune in! pic.twitter.com/x8KU4lHeYH
— Craig Shimala (@cshimala) June 14, 2021
Huge fire & several expl0sions reporred at Chemtool – Grease company in Rockton, #Illinois , #USA
Video source: wrex pic.twitter.com/YmAPwOCNuS
— 🇨𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫🇻𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐫☢️ ᷜ ⷶ ⷶ ᷝ ⷶ- ᷠ ⷶ ᷚ™ (@Kaala_Nag) June 14, 2021
Massive amounts of smoke and flames coming from Rockton, IL Chemtool Plant. pic.twitter.com/5hOjFVw6ta
— Alexis Carpello (@alexiscarpello_) June 14, 2021
Massive 6-alarm response triggered
-Chemtool plant located in Rockton, NOT Rockford
-Smoke becoming increasingly thick and is now showing up on radar
-Radius for evacuations have been increased to over a mile
-A major collapse now reported within the structure
Via : #rawsalerts pic.twitter.com/4O9DjHLqAR— Steve_Ampy 🏈 💬 (@steve_ampy) June 14, 2021
Large blaze at a Chemtool plant in Rockton, Illinois, massive explosion. Evacuations ordered.. pic.twitter.com/MeTMaXKl0V
— Johnny Ⓜ️ (@Xghzqtk_) June 14, 2021
Firefighters are on the scene of a four-alarm fire at Chemtool in Rockton, IL. Anyone within a mile of the plant is being evacuated. https://t.co/IYflFTPmmF
— KCTV5 News (@KCTV5) June 14, 2021
Company issued a following statement on the incident at 11 am EST:
ROCKTON, Illinois — At approximately 7 a.m. today, local emergency personnel responded to a fire at the Lubrizol Corporation’s Chemtool Facility in Rockton, Ill. We have confirmed all on site are safe and accounted for. Our concern right now is for the safety of all our employees and the surrounding community. As a precaution, authorities have evacuated residents in a one-mile radius of the site.
We do not yet know what caused this incident, but we will be working with local authorities and with our own risk management team to determine what happened and identify any corrective actions. We will share more details as they are known.
We are grateful to our employees, first responders and safety forces responding to this incident.
