As the area around the AB Specialty Silicones factory that exploded last week in Waukegan slowly returns to normal, the company announced plans for a memorial service on Friday after the last employee was recovered from the rubble late Tuesday.
The May 3 explosion has been estimated to have caused more than $1 million in damage around the site at Northwestern and Sunset avenues, and according to Waukegan spokesman David Motley, there were seven buildings in the area affected by the blast.
“We asked each building owner to complete an independent structural analysis of their buildings,” he said. “All seven have submitted them, but unfortunately not all of them are OK.”
Motley added that the priority has been “to figure out how to get these places back up and running.” As of Thursday, the state of Illinois vehicle-emission testing station across Sunset was among the businesses that reopened.
One business that was not so lucky is the Outpost Crossfit facility on Northwestern immediately north of the silicone plant. Part of the wall of the building was supported Thursday by a pull-up rig that is bolted to the cinder block wall.
“It’s still holding up somehow,” said Ismael Rosa, who opened the business nine years ago with his wife Sophia, who also provides yoga classes. He said the business provides a small-group personal fitness class that utilizes high-intensity training used by military and first-responders.
“In a way, it’s a testament to the strength of the Lake County community. The pull-up rig is still holding,” Rosa said, adding that his landlord called him Saturday morning with the news about the building and the damage done by the blast.
Rosa said it will be awhile, maybe weeks, before they determine the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, he cannot get his equipment out.
“It looks like we will have to close the business. It’s heartbreaking for us to make that decision and voice that to our members,” he said.
Some of them knew Jeff Cummings, 57, of Kenosha, who died inside the building.
“Some members were in the same motorcycle club with him,” he said, adding that the loss of Cummings puts things in perspective. “We were the lucky ones.”
Over at American Outfitters on Sunset Avenue, owner Gary Rettig said there was a lot of damage, but they were able to reopen Wednesday. They’ve been there for 25 years.
“We’re getting orders out the door like normal,” he said, adding that damage was extensive inside the building after glass was blown out, light fixtures fell and doors were blown open.
“Every day, we find something else that’s wrong,” Rettig said, mentioning a sewer pipe. “Explosions can affect things underground. We’re going to have to get a camera down there.
“It’s going to be several months of construction, but we’re optimistic. All our contractors have been customers, so they really went the extra mile for us.”
Rettig also marveled at how other businesses looked out for each other, like Burris Equipment at Sunset and Green Bay Road, which opened its doors and served coffee and refreshments after the explosion.
“We call it Sunset Strong,” he said.
Rettig said he and his employees plan to attend the memorial service on Friday.
“Everyone came together,” he said. “It’s like one big family.”
In a statement released on Wednesday a few hours after the Lake County Coroner’s Office announced the remains of the final victim had been located, AB Specialties Silicones General Manager Mac Penman said, “It is with a heavy heart” the company released the identities of the four employees killed in the explosion.
Three had been provided earlier in the week by the coroner’s office and the Cook County Medical Examiner, and Penman’s statement added details about the men’s employment with the company:
Byron Biehn, 53, of Union Grove, Wis., was a second-shift production supervisor who had been with AB Specialty Silicones for nine years, and was an owner of the company;
Cummings was the third-shift production supervisor who had spent seven years with the company;
Allen Stevens, 29, of Paddock Lake, Wis., was the second-shift chemical operator who had been with the company for two years and was also an owner.
The fourth victim was identified by Penman as 24-year-old Daniel Nicklas of Beach Park, who was a quality control chemist and had been with AB Specialty Silicones for eight months.
“We have lost our friends and colleagues, and know that their families have lost even more: fathers, grandfathers, husbands, sons, brothers,” Penman said. “Since last Friday, our focus has been finding ways to spend time with each other, grieve together, and support each other.
“The families have asked us to convey their wishes for privacy at this difficult time, but they join us in again expressing gratitude for the incredible efforts of the Waukegan Fire Department and Chief George Bridges Jr., and the Lake County Coroner’s Office and Dr. Howard Cooper.”
On Wednesday Cooper declined to release the name of what was the third and final missing employee, saying his office would be using dental records to confirm the identity.
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Cooper added it might be a day or two before the name could be released officially. He added that if his office needs to use DNA to confirm the identity, it could take a month for official confirmation.
Penman’s statement added that a memorial service for employees, families and friends was being planned for 10 a.m. Friday at the site of the factory on the northeast corner of Sunset and Northwestern avenues.
Penman added that the service, “will honor the victims as well as the heroic first-responders of the Waukegan Fire and Police departments.”
The May 3 explosion occurred at around 9:45 p.m. and gutted the AB Specialty structure.
According to Penman, plans have been discussed to reopen the business.
“When we gathered as a work family earlier this week, we shared stories of our colleagues,” he said in the statement. “We also talked with each other about what the future holds, and have resolved to re-open AB Specialty Silicones.
“It will be hard work, but if it is possible to re-create the type of place Byron, Jeff, Allen, and Daniel would be proud of, it is a challenge we would all accept.”