Fire in built environment

Firefighters battled a large building fire at a pallet company Saturday in the west suburbs.
Area residents say they heard explosions as flames burned everything inside at the building in Maywood.
"You could feel the heat earlier," nearby resident Lily Bowker said. "It was quite a bit more."
The massive blaze erupted inside the block-long company located in the 1300 of South First Avenue in the western suburb.
Residents said around 2 p.m. they first saw thick black smoke coming from the F & L Pallets before hearing what sounded like explosions.
"Every like 10, 15 minutes, there was a huge bang and a big puff of fire," nearby resident Sofia Lopez said.
Video from the scene showed plumes of smoke and flames coming from the building.
All the owner of the business and some of her workers could do was watch as flames that were so intense burned for hours, causing the roof of the structure to collapse. Fortunately, the business, where crates and rubber are also stored, had closed for the day, so no one was inside.
Around 75 firefighters from nearly a dozen neighboring suburbs responded to the blaze. Fire officials said high winds complicated efforts to put out the fire.
"We have contained the fire, but it's not totally out," Maywood Fire Department Chief Craig Bronaugh said. "We're in the process of trying to breach a wall on the south side of the property in order to get a little access from the street. It doesn't appear at any time that we will make entry into the building. Will stay strictly defensive."
Authorities asked the public to avoid the area as firefighters worked. Maywood Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management assisted with traffic control while any hazmat situation was being assessed.
"I don't feel very scared," nearby resident Oliver Crimmins said. "I feel like they have the situation very much under control. I don't feel like we're in any danger where we are."
F & L Pallets has been a fixture in Maywood for 15 years. In an emailed statement, Mayor Booker wrote, "At this time the village of Maywood would have to assess the damage and review any economic impacts... at this time we are just thankful nobody was in the building and nobody was hurt."
Meanwhile, it was expected firefighters would spend hours putting out hotspots Saturday evening. Bellwood, Broadview, Northlake, Melrose Park, Franklin Park and more surrounding communities were assisting Maywood in fighting the fire.
No first responders were injured while battling the fire.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.