Three people were injured Wednesday in an explosion and resulting fire at a manufacturing complex in far northwest suburban Cary.
It was about 1:20 p.m. when a big explosion rocked Fox Valley Systems, at 640 Industrial Dr., said
Cary Police Chief Steve Casstevens. The company has been in business since 1970 and makes products for paint marking and striping, according to its website.
"It was unreal. People were fleeing the building, and fire and ambulance immediately came," Kevin Pfeifer wrote in a comment on this article.
From NBC Chicago's helicopter, firefighters could be seen tackling the fire with at least three streams of water on two sides of the low-rise building. The explosion -- or series of explosions -- caused extensive damage to the rear of the building.
"I work half a block down, and we felt the building shake from the explosion," Scott Hoffman wrote on NBC Chicago's Facebook page.
A large amount of flames emanating from one side of the building were quickly suppressed and a foam truck from the Cary Fire Department was brought in to deal with flames inside.
Fire crews were careful to pay attention to large chemical tanks at the front of the building, located inside an industrial park. About 25 nearby businesses were evacuated as a precaution, said Casstevens.
Three people were transported to a nearby hospital but the extent of their injuries was not known as of 4:15 p.m.
Fox Valley Systems employs more than 20 people, an official said.
First responders were able to react quickly because a Cary fire station is nearby, across Cary Algonquin Road.
Metra trains operating on a rail line to the north of the building were not being affected, officials said.
Witness Gets Video of Second Cary Explosion
Eyewitness Michael Ginsberg recorded this video of the second of two explosions that rocked the Fox Valley Systems plant in Cary.
