Over 100 firefighters work overnight to extinguish fire at boat storage facility in Waukegan

Over 100 firefighters worked overnight to extinguish a fire at a boat storage facility in Waukegan.

Firefighters responded to an automatic alarm around 8 p.m. Wednesday at 3 E. Madison St., the Waukegan Fire Department said.

Battalion Chief Mark Pietraszak upgraded the fire to a fourth alarm because of freezing temperatures and difficulties getting around inside the facility, which stored about 70 large boats, fire officials said.

Fire crews were able to put out the fire around 2:30 a.m., officials said. No injuries were reported.

“The crews did an exceptional job in very extreme conditions,” Fire Marshal Todd Zupec said. “The nature of the boat storage is difficult to navigate in smoke and fire conditions. The multiple alarms allowed command to rotate crews to keep them.”

The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known.

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