Kewanee Fire Chief Stephen Welgat, left, Ryan Cameron, center, Chief Deputy Director, and Matt Schnepple, director, both of the Henry County Office of Emergency Management, examine the aftermath of Tuesday morning’s fire in the Auto & Ag Mechanics Lab at Black Hawk College East Campus. The pickup on the right was hooked up to a battery charger inside the lab when the fire started and was pulled from the building. [Photo By Dave Clarke]

Tuesday morning began as a usual Tuesday morning on the East Campus of Black Hawk College. Students in their seats and faculty beginning their class, when fire broke out shortly after 8 a.m. in the Auto & Ag Mechanics Lab south of Building B on the west side of the drive. Everyone was evacuated safely, and units of the Galva Fire Department were on the scene in minutes.

Firefighters look over the door that was removed from the south bay of the Auto & Ag Mechanics Lab. [Photo by Dave Clarke]

A pickup truck which had been pulled into the lab and hooked up to a battery charger apparently caught fire.

Next on the scene was Ryan Cameron, Chief Deputy Director of the Henry County Office of Emergency Management, just south of Kewanee, who heard Galva’s radio traffic and an explosion and raced to the scene.

Galva immediately called for mutual aid from the Kewanee Community Fire Department and Kewanee Fire Department. Fire departments from Toulon and Bishop Hill also responded.

What’s left of the pickup that was pulled from the Auto & Ag Mechanics Lab at Black Hawk East after fire broke out inside the shop. [Photo by Dave Clarke]

The truck was pulled from the shop and the fire extinguished after being contained to the shop area. The interior of the building sustained heavy smoke and water damage. After the fire inside was out, a Henry County Sheriff’s Office drone spotted a hot spot smoldering on the roof and Kewanee’s aerial ladder truck was used to put it out from above, according to Kewanee Fire Chief Stephen Welgat.

Water was hauled from hydrants on the east edge of Galva and on Route 34 south of Kewanee at Tumbleson Auto Group.

Black Hawk College President Dr. Jeremy Thomas, who was on his way from Moline to the East Campus in his car when he heard about the fire, said the college was extremely grateful for the swift work by emergency responders.

Portable water tanks and plenty of trucks to keep them full transporting water from hydrants in town are the key to fighting fires in rural areas like the one that broke out Tuesday at Black Hawk College East Campus. [Photo by Dave Clarke]

“We can’t thank the firefighters, many who are volunteers, and other emergency responders enough for their efforts today. Thankfully, no one was injured. Everyone is safe. Buildings and equipment can always be replaced, people cannot,” said Dr. Thomas.

Classes were cancelled for Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon the college announced it would shift students to remote learning for the rest of the week.

Details of exactly how the fire started are under investigation.

A new John Deere combine parked by the college entrance Tuesday morning had been scheduled to be driven into the lab today and avoided being caught in the fire.

The Stark County Ambulance Service responded but was not needed.