Gurnee Fire: Homes, Businesses Evacuated as Firefighters Battle 7-Alarm Propane Plant Fire

GURNEE, IL — Homes and businesses within a quarter-mile radius of a propane plant that caught fire, leading to reports of multiple explosions in the area, have been evacuated Thursday afternoon, according to the Daily Herald.

Deputy Police Chief Willie Meyer told the newspaper people were bused away from the area of the active seven-alarm fire and authorities have also closed Northwestern Avenue and Delany and Sunset roads.

Firefighters remained on the scene Thursday afternoon of the "large-scale fire," village officials reported in a tweet shortly after 2 p.m. Multiple explosions were reported coming from the area of the structure fire at 3895 Clearview Court in Gurnee, when it was first reported at about noon Thursday, according to the Lake & McHenry County Scanner Facebook page.

About 30 north suburban fire departments are now on the scene. The fire reportedly started at a company called Pinnacle Propane.

The number of alarms is an indication of how many times the on-scene command has requested additional help.

One follower of the Lake & McHenry County Scanner Facebook page said "hundreds of explosions" could be heard coming from the site.

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— LakeMcHenryScanner (@LMCScanner) July 28, 2016

No injuries have been reported, NBC Chicago reports, and the cause of the explosions were not immediately known.

The village advises people to avoid the area of Route 41 and Delany and Northwestern and Sunset, and residents are also advised not to call the police department unless they have an emergency.

No additional details were immediately available from the Gurnee Fire Department.

Photo credit: Lisa Syc of Lake Villa