Crews were able to extinguish a fire at a manufacturing plant in Rock Falls.
Witnesses said on Thursday, January 30, 2014 heavy smoke and flames were spotted coming from the IFH Group, Inc. factory on E. Rock Falls Road near I-88.
Bill Milby, the Deputy Chief of the South Twin Cities Joint Fire Command said the alarm came in around 12:10 p.m.
Upon arrival crews found heavy black smoke and flames coming from the roof of the plant. Milby said plant personnel were attempting to put out the fire with CO2 extinguishers.
Milby said crews and plant personnel were able to put out the fire. It's believed that the fire started in the air handling units.
"It's a major manufacturer for our area so to keep everybody employed and everything, like I said the crews just did a wonderful job," he said.
According to the company’s website they manufacture hydraulic oil reservoirs and fuel tanks, fluid storage, industrial fluids, and do metal fabrication and powder coating. The facility is 106,000 square-feet.
Milby said the plant has about 50-75 employees and the factory should be back up and running Friday.