Fire at Waukegan Boat Storage Warehouse Damages Yachts

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WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — A fire at a suburban Chicago boat storage warehouse caused millions of dollars in damage to the building and yachts stored inside, fire officials said Thursday.

The Waukegan Fire Department said the fire began about 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Bay Marine boat warehouse, which stored 60 to 70 yachts.

About 100 firefighters from departments in Lake, McHenry, and Kenosha counties responded to the scene, and spent 61/2 hours battling the flames before bringing the blaze under control, WBBM-TV reported.

Crews were hampered by the amount of smoke and flames, along with bitter cold temperatures.

“The crews did an exceptional job in very extreme conditions. The nature of the boat storage is difficult to navigate in smoke and fire conditions,” Waukegan Fire Marshal Todd Zupec said in a statement.

No injuries were reported, but fire officials estimated the fire caused several millions of dollars in damage to the warehouse and the boats inside.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Waukegan is located along Lake Michigan about 11 miles (18 kilometers) south of the Wisconsin border, and some 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of downtown Chicago.