Evergreen Terrace Fire, 60 Families Displaced

JOLIET, IL — A Tuesday night fire at the city of Joliet's former Evergreen Terrace public housing apartment complex on the city's near west side caused significant building damage and forced the city to evacuate the 60-apartment unit building for the night.

Joliet Fire Chief Greg Blaskey told Patch the residents of the damaged building, 366 North Broadway St., were evacuated and given temporary shelter for the night. He said that the American Red Cross was able to provide shelter for 26 families at the Harrah's Casino Hotel in downtown Joliet.

He said the Red Cross has an agreement with Harrah's.

The fire was located inside a garbage chute and the smoke spread into multiple floors of the city-owned public housing complex. The city has renamed the property as the Riverwalk Homes, but most people around Joliet still know it as Evergreen Terrace.

The Joliet Fire Department was alerted to the blaze around 8:30 p.m. Blaskey said the fire caused smoke and water damage throughout the building, and the fire also damaged the building's electrical meters. The fire actually began inside the Dumpster that is located within the public housing building, the fire said.

Blaskey said he and other fire administrators remained on the scene until around 4 a.m. He said the fire department helped provide transportation to several displaced families.

Around 9:15 p.m., the Joliet Fire Department Local 44 announced on Facebook that a box alarm fire broke out at the Riverwalk Homes. Firefighters found smoke on three floors of the building and were searching for the fire's origin, the firefighters informed their followers.

Former Joliet Housing Authority commissioner Bob Hernandez posted a Facebook LIVE video of the fire. He said that two firefighters suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation and two residents of the complex also may have suffered smoke inhalation as well.

Hernandez interviewed Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk at the scene who relayed that all the residents will get vouchers to stay at local hotels and motels for the night. Hernandez informed his Facebook viewers that the Joliet Fire Department did a phenomenal job putting out the fire, preventing it from spreading throughout the structure.

At 10:45 p.m., Joliet firefighters were helping some residents go safely into the building to gather belongings to stay somewhere else for the night.

Joliet's fire chief told Patch that the two firefighters were OK, they remain on the scene, continuing to help extinguish the blaze that will likely keep firefighters on the scene overnight.

The Joliet Fire Department sent Engine 5, Engine 1, Engine 4, Engine 6, Truck 1, and five ambulances: 1, 5, 6, 7 and 9 as well as battalion chief 2, the fire chief and deputy chief to the blaze.

This is a developing story, so check back with Joliet Patch on Wednesday for updates about the extent of the fire's damage.