New Lenox Firefighters Douse a Fire at a Howell Road Factory

New Lenox firefighters squelched a fire at 12:17 p.m. today at a factory for metal grinding and polishing stove tops.

A wall at Modern Food Concepts, a 2,000-square-foot factory on Howell Road at Schoolhouse Road, caught fire that spread quickly to the roof.

None of the four employees in the facility at the time was injured. "That's the important thing," said New Lenox Fire Protection District Chief Jon Mead.

Speaking from the scene, Mead said the company primarily served as a metal grinding and polishing shop for stove tops. While the investigation is continuing, it's certain that the fire started in the wall and then spread to the roof. The cause of the fire is yet undetermined.

"When we got there you could see smoke. It was a little hot; you could see that there was fire in the roof," he said.

The smell of smoke was evident at the scene, but the fire was quickly under control. Two NLFPD firefighters were on the metal roof, cutting their way through to reach the hot spots, according to Mead.

Damage was estimated at about $15,000.

Both NLFPD and Manhattan Fire Protection District responded to the call.

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