Firefighter Injured at Business Fire in Frenchtown

A St. Charles firefighter was injured while responding to a fire in Frenchtown on Monday, according to St. Charles Fire Battalion Chief Michael Grzyb. 

The firefighter was treated for superficial burns to the face after responding to a fire at a furniture refinishing business that started around 10:40 a.m., Gryzb said.

The one-alarm fire broke out at Dip 'N Strip Furniture Refinishing, a business on North Second Street Monday morning. St. Charles Fire Department called in additional units and about 30 people total responded. 

It's unclear if the firefighter's burns were chemical or thermal. He was treated at a local hospital and released. 

Although initial reports suggested the fire could have been caused by an explosion, Gryzb said it appears to have been started by a welding operation. 

The three people inside were able to exit safely, he said. The business was significantly damaged, but the fire was put out before it could spread to neighboring businesses. 

Firefighters monitored the area for possible environmental impacts because of the presence of chemicals inside the business.

"Certainly whenever we suspect there are chemicals involved we make sure our personnel are safe, breathing air out of breathing apparatus," he said. "We limit water and check for environmental impact."

Gryzb said water released from the business was nonhazardous and firefighters found nothing harmful in the smoke from the fire.