Mysterious Downtown Fire: Heavy Damage To 3-Story Building

JOLIET, IL — Noe Patino, the Joliet commercial property investor who recently bought the empty three-story building next to the Chicago Street Pub, was on the scene Sunday afternoon, watching the Joliet Fire Department extinguish the large fire that broke out at 69 North Chicago St.

Incoming Joliet Fire Chief Jeff Carey told Patch the fire was reported at 4:02 p.m. The flames were coming from the third floor of the vacant building, and there was also fire on the second floor.

No one was in the building and there were no injuries, Carey said.

Carey said that access to the third floor was closed off, so firefighters could create access through a hole in the second floor ceiling. The roof was ventilated and the second and third floors were checked to see whether the fire had spread.

Carey said Joliet firefighters from Stations 1, 4 and 5 were on the fire scene for at least 90 minutes. The cause of the remains unknown at this time, Carey said.

Noe Patino, the building's new owner, owns a number of properties around Joliet, including the Plaza 66 at 103 North Ottawa St., where his family celebrated the opening of the El Camaleon Bar and Grill on Aug. 11.