Firefighters were on scene for several hours Sunday after a fire broke out in another vacant building on the shuttered Jacksonville Developmental Center grounds.
Both the Jacksonville and South Jacksonville Fire Departments responded to what has been commonly referred to as the old veteran's building on the north side of the campus near the intersection of West Morton Avenue and South Church Street just after 10:00 am Sunday.
Jacksonville Fire Department Lieutenant Josh Sorrill says fire was showing from a portion of the vacant building when crews first arrived on scene. "Upon arrival we found heavy fire and heavy smoke conditions coming from the second story. Upon a 360 [exterior search] we found a partial collapse of the second-story roof. No injuries at the time and no one else was found upon arrival.
At this time we are deeming the cause undetermined but suspicious in nature due to the fact there are no utilities [active] to the property it's supposed to be an uninhabitable building and all around it being secured as well."
Jacksonville Fire crews used the aerial ladder truck to knock down the bulk of the fire before personnel made entry into the second story to continue suppression efforts.
Sorrill says the age and length of time the building has been vacant made extinguishing the fire and searching for any potential victims more difficult.
"Due to the age of the structure and points of entry for us to do searches being welded to be secured, it made it a little bit harder for access. But upon major fire knockdown, we were able to do primary and secondary searches.
This is one that just due to the suspicious nature, we are going to let the Office of the State Fire Marshal handle the investigation."
Crews were on the scene well into Sunday afternoon, and an Illinois State Fire Marshall's Office Investigator was combing the scene. The incident is just the latest in a history of fires and vandalism at the now boarded-up complex located in the heart of the Jacksonville and South Jacksonville areas.
Sunday's fire was at least the sixth suspicious fire within the last four years on the grounds. In August of this year, crews battled a fire in the Gillespie Building on the west side of the campus for several hours. In January, a homeless man was arrested for trespassing after setting a small fire in one of the structures.
Crews from both municipalities were also called to fires in June of 2023, and November of 2022, each in separate buildings. The Developmental Center campus has sat dormant since November 2012 after then-Governor Pat Quinn announced the closure of the facility.
Legislation filed by 99th District State Representative Randy Frese last year to remediate and demolish buildings on the JDC grounds failed to pass out of committee in the General Assembly. The bill estimated the costs needed to remove asbestos and get demolition going at more than $67 million.
A surplus property bill by State Senator Steve McClure that was passed and signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker in 2021 has also not brought any movement from the state.