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Macomb, IL – Flames could be seen coming from the roof of the former Zeta Consumer Products factory on East University Drive in Macomb Wednesday morning. But the fire was not as bad as initially feared.
Deputy Fire Chief JR Hyde said workers were removing an old air handling unit from the top of the building as part of a roof replacement project. Sparks generated from a saw got into some insulation, which then got into the unit.
"It looked a lot worse than what it was," Hyde said. "It looked like the actual building was on fire because it was on top of the building but it just happened to be the air handling unit. No injuries."
Hyde said the Good Hope and Emmet-Chalmers Fire Departments were called to assist.
"Because of the size of the building...if it (the fire) had been in the building we would have needed a lot more manpower," Hyde said.
Hyde said the fire was brought under control five or ten minutes after firefighters arrived on the scene. The fire was contained to the air handling unit. There was no damage to the building's interior.
University Drive was closed from East Street to Bower Road while firefighters were on the scene.
Zeta was a plastics manufacturer that made garbage bags and other products.
Zeta filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Apil 2000, when it laid off more than 200 employees. A skeleton crew continued to operate the facility for a while after that.
A single bidder purchased all of the machinery and equipment in the building during an auction in September 2000. Mark Wilkening of Bay Shore, NY paid $2.5 million for everything but the building.
Triple H Investments of Macomb purchased the building from bankruptcy bondholders in 2003. Triple H is leasing space in the building to three companies, including NTN Bower. Wednesday's fire happened above an unoccupied part of the building.