Hinsdale Fire Department Ordered To Stop Drill: Village

HINSDALE, IL — No demolition permit has been issued for a historic house on Elm Street, but the local fire department conducted a drill there in late January, records show.

According to a village timeline, the drill took place in the late afternoon of Jan. 28, but Village Hall ordered it to stop once it was made aware.

Firefighters often hold drills in buildings that are set for demolition.

On Wednesday, members of the Historic Preservation Commission expressed frustration that it was presumed by the builder that the village would approve the demolition of the house at 720 S. Elm St. A new house is set to be built in its place.

Days after the drill, Hinsdale-based J. Jordan Homes received citations for beginning demolition-related excavation work before a permit was approved, the village said.

The fire department is part of the village government.

At the commission's meeting, Julie Laux, owner of J. Jordan, said the fire department contacts her company when demolitions are in the works.

"It's their responsibility to check the demo permit, not ours," Laux said.

She said she reached out to the Callahan family, which owns the house in question, about whether to allow the drill.

"They said, 'Yes, of course, we're good citizens trying to do right,'" Laux said.

She said the Callahans had no control over the fire department's decision to conduct the drill before the village approved the demolition.

The commission was expected to handle the permit issue at its Feb. 2 meeting, but it was canceled because of weather.

The fire chief couldn't be reached for immediate comment.