Excerpts from the Chicago Tribune:
On Thursday, the Park Ridge fire marshal issued a citation to a property owner for failing to inform the fire department about the presence of a large quantity of hazardous material before a major fire broke out. Firefighters worked to contain a significant blaze that engulfed the former Harvey’s Marathon gas station at Northwest Highway and Oakton Street. The owner had not posted warning signs or notified authorities that 45 tons of calcium peroxide were stored inside and around the building. The violation carries a $500 fine.
The calcium peroxide was intended for cleaning up soil contamination on the site, which had operated as a gas station for many years. The property has been vacant since approximately 2013. The city of Park Ridge identified the owner as Raza Holdings LLC.
The fire department has determined that the calcium peroxide contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, resulting in minor burns to two firefighters. Local and regional fire departments that responded to the incident are expected to seek reimbursement for equipment damage and labor costs. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Cleanup efforts continued on Friday, with oversight from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. A plastic-lined sand berm was installed on the property on Thursday, and cleanup was expected to continue through the weekend. The IEPA does not regulate the storage of calcium peroxide, so local regulations would apply. Any remaining material that wasn’t destroyed in the fire cannot be used for the planned soil decontamination project.
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