Joliet Target To Remain Closed For Weeks After Store Fire

JOLIET, IL — Friday morning's fire in the fresh food section of the Joliet Target store at 2701 Plainfield Road left the retail store with smoke damage throughout the store and the Joliet Target will have to remain closed for a considerable amount of time, Target notified Patch.

"On Friday morning, the Joliet Fire Department responded to a fire at our Joliet, Illinois store, which we believe was caused by a cooler malfunction," a Target spokeswoman wrote Joliet Patch. "We’re working with the fire department to investigate, and we expect the store to be closed for several weeks during repairs and restocking.

"Guests are invited to visit our nearby stores in Lemont or Shorewood for their needs during this time. We appreciate our team and first responders, and we’re grateful that no one was injured."

Joliet Fire Department engines from Stations 5, 6, 7 and 8 responded to a report of smoke inside the Target store around 7:05 a.m.

"Fire crews determined an open air cooler in the fresh food section of the store had caught fire," Joliet Fire Chief Greg Blaskey informed Patch. "The fire was quickly extinguished, however the entire store was filled with smoke, causing damage throughout the store."

Target's spokeswoman notified Joliet Patch there are about 150 team members who work at the Plainfield Road store. All of them will be offered temporary placement in nearby Target locations.