Thursday, the fire district

Fires on Annico Drive and Mackinac Drive were reported Thursday in Homer Glen. (Shutterstock)

HOMER GLEN, IL — Large brush fires in Homer Glen on Thursday caused a large response from firefighters and multiple area fire departments, according to the Homer Township Fire Protection District.

The fire district responded to simultaneous brush fires at 5:28 p.m. on Thursday. The fires quickly grew and threatened nearby buildings, the fire district said.

The first fire happened in the 15700 block of Annico Drive, and the initial response was one fire engine for a brush fire behind the row of businesses, according to the district. The response was quickly upgraded due to the size, intensity and rapid growth of the fire.

The fire district said all on-duty Homer Fire crews were called to Annico Drive, and within minutes of arrival, the fire had doubled in size and was closing in on nearby buildings.

Additional assistance was requested from Northwest Homer, Lockport, Orland, Lemont and Mokena fire departments.

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One Homer fire engine was forced to quickly retreat due to a sudden change in conditions that threatened to damage the engine, Fire Chief Kevin Doyle said.

Several electrical poles also burned and firefighters were at risk of an energized power line dropped into their working areas, Doyle said. In addition to the poles, the marsh-like soil conditions also caused firefighters to sink into knee-deep mud as they advanced hose lines to protect the nearby businesses.

"To further complicate the hazardous situation, employees that had evacuated one of the Annico Drive buildings reported a natural gas leak in their building," Doyle said in an email to Patch.

Some firefighters working on the fire were reassigned to investigate the gas leak.

The fire was brought under control at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the fire district said. There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.

At the same time as the Annico Drive fire, crews also responded to a large brush fire in the 12100 block of Mackinac Drive, according to the District. Since Homer Fire crews were at the Annico Drive fire, crews from the Orland Fire District, also fighting a large brush fire in the same area, responded to assist the Homer Fire District on Mackinac.

Crews from Frankfort, Palos, New Lenox, Manhattan, and North Palos fire departments assisted on the Mackinac Drive fire, the district said. That fire was brought under control at 6:50 p.m.

Thursday, the fire district

Find out what's happening in Homer Glen-Lockportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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