Comstock Park residents and commuters were met with a significant disruption Wednesday evening as over 50 firefighters battled a blaze at a commercial building. The fire, which erupted around 5 p.m. on the 4000 block of West River Drive, sent thick black smoke into the sky, observable for miles—a stark visual against the rush hour backdrop. WOODTV reported that Plainfield Township Fire Department Chief Kyle Svoboda immediately requested a third alarm upon the multiple calls and sight of smoke.
The involved agencies, as detailed by WZZM13, included six to eight fire departments that efficiently coordinated their response due to frequent joint trainings. To combat the roof fire, the Walker Fire Department deployed drones for an aerial vantage point, while Sparta firefighters employed aerial ladders. Despite the efforts to contain the fire utilizing an internal firewall, the roof suffered "significant" damage, noted by Chief Svoboda. The building, a mix of commercial storage and office space, lacked a sprinkler system—an addition that, according to Svoboda, may have prevented the event entirely. "If it had a sprinkler system, we probably wouldn't even be here today right now... but the building isn't required to have a sprinkler system given the nature of what it does," Svoboda told WOODTV.
Interruptions extended to nearby roads as West River Drive experienced closures, complicating the rush hour traffic even further. No injuries were reported amidst the evacuations and the fire was contained within about 30 to 45 minutes, as Chief Svoboda informed WZZM13. Fire investigators are currently looking into the cause of the fire.
A part of West River Drive was shut down for several hours, a measure Chief Svoboda explained was essential for the safety of not only the firefighting personnel but also the public. "Safety was number one priority, not only for us, but for the people that were around as well," Svoboda reiterated in a statement obtained by FOX17. The investigation into the fire's origin is ongoing, leaving unanswered questions about the future for the businesses housed in damaged infrastructure.
