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Authorities issued an emergency evacuation order Tuesday in the area of an industrial fire in Morris, Illinois.
The Grundy County Emergency Management Agency ordered anyone living in the 900 blocks of Benton, Douglas or Armstrong streets or East Street to evacuate their residences due to the fire.
Grundy County Sheriff's Office issued another evacuation notice for residents east of Division Street from Illinois Avenue north to 3rd Avenue/Wall Street.
Residents are urged to take pets and any required personal medications with them as they evacuate. Deputies and officers from several agencies are going door to door to notify residents.
Motorists are ordered to avoid the area.
NBC Chicago reporter Mike Lorber posted on Twitter that 80 tons of lithium batteries were involved in the fire, and fire personnel were being evacuated due to the explosion risk.
Morris IL: 900 Benton St a large factory fire and hazmat situation. Reports of 80 tons of lithium batteries in the fire. Evacuations in the area and safety issues w firefighters being able to get close to the scene #NBCSky5 en route @nbcchicago
— Mike Lorber (@NBCSky5) June 29, 2021
Nick Doerfler, the public information officer for the Mutual Aid Agency in Coal City, said the fire started around noon in the 900 block of East Benton Street.
No injuries were reported as of Tuesday afternoon, but residents were asked to evacuate due to smoke, NBC Chicago reported.
Doerfler said large lithium batteries were inside a warehouse which used to be a paper mill, ABC News reported. Grundy County Public Safety reported the batteries had caught on fire, which is stalling efforts to extinguish the fire.
Fire crews requested foam teams to put out the fire as lithium explodes when it comes into contact with water. Around 130 total fire personnel and 30 fire units were on the scene, CBS Chicago reported. Hazmat crews and a foam task force also responded to the scene.
Doerfler said about 40 homes have been evacuated already.
Those needing a place to go were urged to head to the Grundy County Administration Building at 1320 Union St. that is being used as a reception area.
The live updates for this event have ended.

Grundy County Sheriff's Office issued an extended evacuation notice for residents who live east of Division Street from Illinois Avenue north to 3rd Avenue/Wall Street.
"Please take your pets and any personal medications you may need with you," the sheriff's office wrote in the evacuation notice.
They also requested for motorists to avoid the area. First responders will be going from door to door to alert as many citizens as possible.
Joliet Weather Center reported on Twitter that scattered showers and storms are developing to the southwest of Chicago.
The developing storms "could become strong (possibly severe) with main threats of heavy rainfall, dangerous lightning and gusty winds," the weather center wrote on Twitter.
Potential rainfall in the Morris area poses an additional threat, due to lithium exploding when exposed to water.
Scattered showers and storms are developing to the southwest. Any of these cells could become strong (possibly severe) with the main threats of heavy rainfall, dangerous lightning and gusty winds. Additional heavy rains could cause flash flooding in some areas. #ilwx pic.twitter.com/JP4h3JeL2l
— Joliet Weather Center ⛈? (@JolietWeather) June 29, 2021
Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger tweeted for residents of Morris to evacuate their homes if necessary.
"Urging residents of Morris, IL to heed the evacuation orders from local authorities and to please stay safe while emergency crews work to contain this fire. My staff and I will continue to monitor this situation here in #IL16," Kinizinger wrote.
Urging residents of Morris, IL to heed the evacuation orders from local authorities and to please stay safe while emergency crews work to contain this fire. My staff and I will continue to monitor this situation here in #IL16. https://t.co/YT4l6IR7hj
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) June 29, 2021
Northern Illinois Scanner Incidents reported the fire in Morris has started releasing toxic gas. The evacuation zone has been moved to four blocks around the scene and everyone north of the fire.
Northern Illinois Scanner Incidents (NISI) reported on social media fire crews were requesting "as many foam units as possible" to put out the fire as water cannot be used in battery fires.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Foam Task Force was assigned to the fire.
A video posted by WTVO-TV and WQRF-TV showed plumes of smoke rising from the fire. NISI reported a request for immediate evacuation as battery smoke can be toxic.
LIVE: Industrial fire in Morris, IL prompts evacuations. Latest: https://t.co/3YcbJ4VyMQ https://t.co/Qvl36FfEDF
— Eyewitness News WTVO/WQRF (@MyStateline) June 29, 2021
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