The North Riverside Park Mall reopened Thursday afternoon after a small fire in the food court that morning. Mall representatives and North Riverside’s fire department confirmed no one was hurt in the fire.
In an email, the mall’s marketing director, Jeanne Heller, said the fire occurred at about 11:15 a.m. Thursday. In a written statement, the mall said only a “single food court eatery was impacted,” though the fire “affect[ed] two dining tenants.” Firefighters from the North Riverside Fire Department and neighboring communities “were quickly able to contain the fire and minimize damage.”
The mall had reopened by about 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, according to Heller’s email, after the mall said firefighters “worked diligently to clear any residual smoke inside the mall.”
As of Thursday afternoon, mall officials said the food court “remains closed for health inspection and will reopen tomorrow.”
“We are very grateful to the village of North Riverside, the North Riverside Fire and Police Departments, and surrounding areas’ support for their swift action,” the mall said in the statement.
Steven Lifka, who was outside the mall after firefighters arrived, said he heard North Riverside Mayor Joseph Mengoni say in a press conference at the scene Thursday that the mall was evacuated following the grease fire.
