From “slaynews.com”
A massive multi-building fire has broken out at a livestock facility with several cattle barns in Rock Island, Illinois.
Videos from the scene show smoke billowing into the sky with the plumes being visible from miles around.
Fire crews have been battling the blaze through Saturday night and say they are now starting to gain control of the fire.
The reportedly started around 6 p.m. Saturday.
The fire broke out at the Rock Island Livestock Auction facility off of 34th Avenue near the Rock River.
The facility is a large site with multiple buildings and livestock barns.
This fire burned intensely and fire officials warn that everything on the site appears to have been completely destroyed.
Nothing is expected to be salvageable.
Fire crews from Rock Island, Moline, Davenport, and some other departments were on the scene.
There were some cattle on site, a firefighter told local outlet Our Quad Cities News.
Cattle have reportedly broken loose from the facility and have been spotted roaming the area.
The hay at the facility was a major factor in how quickly this fire grew massively.
Fire crews were using every hydrant in the area to get water on the fire.
There are no reports of any injuries so far.
Videos show the intense blaze burning through several buildings and thick black smoke pours into the sky.
WATCH:
Smoke can be seen from across the Quad Cities and is even showing up on weather radar.
đ¨#UPDATE: Numerous firefighters are still battling the blaze, with Doppler radar revealing heavy plumes of smoke from the fire. pic.twitter.com/lCzDS6Sett
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) February 25, 2024
One X user noted that they could âsmell the fireâ from ten miles away.
I live 10 miles away and can smell the fire.
— Julie Weaver-Gardner (@ivfmom) February 25, 2024
Rock Island Fire Marshal Greg Marty said the cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
Marty detailed the scale of the fire by explaining that it has encompassed several city blocks.
He said 22 cattle have been rescued so far but it remains unclear at this time how many cattle were on site.
Hundreds of people, including those living near the structure, watched as it burned to the ground.
Smoke from the blaze was visible for miles around.
Amanda Gray, who lives near where the fire started, said she was worried the fire was going to spread to her home.
âIt was really intense, and lot of popping, and fire just grew and got larger, and got larger,â Gray said.
âI was concerned about how high the flames were getting and how high it was up in the air and how dry everything was around us.â
Marty is still asking the public to give space for crews to work, and to stay clear of 31st Avenue and 9th Street.
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