Firefighters work the scene of an industrial fire Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Morris, Ill. Lithium batteries have been noisily exploding inside a burning abandoned paper mill in northern Illinois and firefighters are letting the blaze burn out because they fear trying to extinguish it could trigger more explosions, officials said Wednesday. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune via AP)
Kwame Raoul

CHICAGO, Ill. (WJPF) — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Grundy County State’s Attorney’s Office have filed a lawsuit against the owner of a battery company over a June fire.

Up to 90 tons of lithium batteries were being kept in Superior Battery’s Morris warehouse when a fire broke out June 29, sending thick black smoke into the air for days. Raul argues the fire and smoke were dangerous to public health and polluted the air and water. Raoul also argues that Superior Battery never applied for a business license in Morris and local leaders had no idea what was being stored in the warehouse until the fire.

Roughly four thousand residents in homes nearby had to be evacuated.

 

Tags: