Lincoln Fire Dept. details fire response, thanks community in press release

LINCOLN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Lincoln Fire Department is thanking the community for its support while also detailing the massive effort they and other fire departments made in battling a major fire in the downtown area on Thursday.

Lincoln Fire Chief Aaron Johnson said in a press release that all Lincoln firefighters, both on and off duty at the time, ended up being dispatched to the scene at 127 1/2 South Sangamon Street. They were joined by personnel and resources from over two dozen fire departments and emergency response agencies from across Central Illinois.

Upon arrival at 8 a.m., firefighters were informed that everyone was out of the building, Johnson said. Crews encountered flames and heavy smoke on the second floor and found fire in the ceiling. One truck company tore a hole in the roof to gain further access to the fire.

Gaining access was a challenge, Johnson said, due to the age and construction of the building. The building is older than many others in the downtown area.

As firefighting continued, Johnson said more and more resources were requested. These resources included water shuttles and drop tanks to help set up a sustainable water supply at three locations around the building. As many as 4,000 gallons of water were flowing each minute over the course of six hours, Johnson added.

A total of five trucks were positioned around the building, including ladder units that could provide an elevated position to shoot water streams from. Johnson said these aerial units were requested to be on standby in the event firefighters had to switch a defensive attack from the outside of the building. That happened after about 90 minutes of fighting the fire on the inside, Johnson said.

Firefighters were also positioned in neighboring buildings on the block to prevent the fire from spreading. Thermal imaging from a drone also helped firefighters direct water streams, as visibility was extremely poor due to the smoke.

The fire was declared to be under control at 3:31 p.m., Johnson said, but firefighters remained on the scene through the night.

Johnson added that two of his firefighters were hurt battling the flames, but both are ok. One firefighter was treated at the scene and the other was released from the hospital after being kept there for observation.

Jurisdiction over the scene of the fire has since been transferred to the Office of the State Fire Marshal so they can begin investigating the cause of the fire. The Springfield office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also sent personnel to the scene.

In his press release, Johnson thanked all of the fire departments and emergency response agencies for their assistance in battling the fire. He also thanked the community of Lincoln for the “overwhelming” support and response it provided to first responders, in ways both direct and indirect.

“There was not a single incident of anyone hampering the efforts of the emergency crews. Spectators respectfully followed all orders and stayed a safe distance away from the scene,” Johnson said. “The water and food graciously donated to the scene was so plentiful that I cannot possibly list the names of all the citizens of businesses that selflessly donated their time, money or staff to make this happen.”

Johnson added that any coolers and other items that were left behind at the scene can be picked up by their rightful owners at the LFD’s fire station starting Monday. People can contact the LFD at 217-735-4020 to claim their items.

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