Rockton Chemical Fire
June 15, 2021
A massive explosion at a grease manufacturing plant in Rockton (near Rockford) created giant plumes of smoke and led to the evacuation of about 1,000 residents within a two-mile radius of the plant. Remarkably, more than 50 employees inside the Chemtool plant at the time of the explosion got out safely. Fire officials were limited in their ability to use