No cause found in downtown Mendota fires

No cause was found in either of the two devastating downtown Mendota fires that wiped out two downtown blocks in the last six months.

The fires occurred within four months of each other, the first happening Aug. 22 and the second on Dec. 29. Both fires activated multiple alarms of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System and destroyed multiple downtown buildings.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s office investigated both fires and could not determine a cause. Because of the damage, Mendota Fire Chief Dennis Rutishauser said the marshal was unable to find the actual issue.

Rutishauser said an electrical engineer was brought in to assist in the investigation of both fires. While there’s no determination, Rutishauser said the August fire was likely electrical.

The investigations did not result in any suspicious activity. Both are classified as “undetermined and accidental,” Rutishauser said.

On Dec. 29 at about 9 p.m, Rutishauser received a call about a fire at the station. When firefighters arrived on the scene, smoke was coming out of 710 Illinois Ave. When the smoke started to build and move, more resources were requested through MABAS.

The fire escalated to a four and to a five MABAS alarm and an EMS fourth alarm.The fire was contained and there were no injuries to firefighters or residents.

The UJ Pet store, multiple apartments and a Nightengales Thrift storage area resided in the affected areas. Another portion of the buildings were being renovated and another was a new coffee shop that had not yet opened.

This was the second devastating fire to hit downtown Mendota in the past year. On Aug. 22, just four months earlier, another fire just across the street wiped out the entire 800 block of Main Street.

Fire crews took 11 hours for nearly 20 to contain the fire, which reached a level seven MABAS alarm. Two firefighters were treated and released with injuries, no others were injured.

A 15-unit apartment complex and Waterfalls Bar was destroyed in the fire. The farthest north wall of the block contained a “Bull” Durham Smoking Tobacco mural. The entire block was demolished within a week.

Insurance companies involved conducted their own investigations, also labeling the cause of both fires as undetermined.