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KANKAKEE COUNTY, IL — Amidst ongoing recovery efforts following Tuesday’s storms that produced tornadoes that tore through the region, a solar farm in a rural area southwest of Kankakee caught fire. Officials released a safety warning following the fire, which was related to the storms, reminding residents who have solar panels installed on their properties to remain aware of potential hazards.
According to the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, multiple fire agencies responded to the solar farm at around 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, for a fire involving an active panel within the facility. Officials said the fire was successfully resolved without any reported injuries.
Saddened to share that in the recovery efforts in Kankakee County local officials have now learned of one casualty.
My heart breaks for this individual’s family and the whole community.
May their memory be a blessing.
It’s been a busy week for residents of Kankakee Township. One person was found dead Thursday inside a damaged home after an EF-3 tornado tore through Aroma Park two days prior. The discovery brings the death toll to three from Tuesday’s tornadoes that swept through parts of Illinois and northwest Indiana.
The identity of the deceased in Kankakee had not been released as of Friday morning.
An elderly couple was killed in Lake Village, Indiana, as the same tornado tracked into Indiana.
Gov. JB Pritzker said nearly 500 structures in Kankakee County were damaged by the storm, adding that state officials will be seeking federal aid to help those most affected.
RELATED: 1 Found Dead Inside Aroma Park Home Damaged By Tornado — Sheriff
Following the solar farm fire, the Kankakee County Emergency Management Agency and Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (Division 7) issued a safety reminder to the community.
“We are highly encouraging our area residents with solar panels on their properties to have them checked and inspected by professionals,” Bourbonnais Fire Chief Jim Keener, a MABAS 7 representative, said.
The agencies are also advising first responders to be extra cautious when responding to any incidents involving solar panels that may have been damaged by the storms, as well as area residents with solar panels.
Anyone who finds something out of the ordinary around a solar farm, or around solar panels, is being encouraged to stay away and to contact authorities to investigate.
Patch Editor Lauren Traut contributed to this report.
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