February 12, 2025
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Momence fire guts Gilster-Mary Lee plant, causing $10+ million in damage

By Lee Provost
Flames emerge from the Gilster-Mary Lee factory in Momence on Tuesday, Feb. 11, evening as firefighters work to contain and extinguish the blaze. Momence Fire Chief Jim Spoon estimated damages reached between $10 - $15 million.

Flames emerge from the Gilster-Mary Lee factory in Momence on Tuesday, Feb. 11, evening as firefighters work to contain and extinguish the blaze. Momence Fire Chief Jim Spoon estimated damages reached between $10 - $15 million. (Provided by Michael Peters)

MOMENCE – A late-night fire at Momence’s Gilster-Mary Lee Corp. plant caused about $10 million to $15 million in damages, according to preliminary reports.

Momence Fire Protection District Chief Jim Spoon said the fire broke out about 11 p.m. Tuesday, and crews were still on hand monitoring the site at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

There were no injuries reported. Production crews were working at the time of the fire.

Fire departments from across the eastern Kankakee County region and into Northwest Indiana responded.

Gilster-Mary Lee, a Chester, Illinois-based company, produces a variety of food products for private labels, often generic store brands.

The Momence site produces hot chocolate mixes, chocolate, caramel- and strawberry-flavored syrups, and tiny marshmallows for mixes.

Momence is one of the company’s 10 production sites. The company also has two nonfood production plants, meaning making packaging.

The plant is 1 block outside of the city’s downtown, near the footbridge that leads to Island Park.

Gilster-Mary Lee took over ownership of the former Kopak plant in the late 1980s.

Tom Welge, Gilster- Mary Lee president and CEO, said Wednesday that company leadership had not yet surveyed the site. He noted 80 people worked at the site, and the location often operated around the clock.

Spoon said an Illinois State Fire Marshal inspector was at the location. He said representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also would be inspecting the site beginning Wednesday.

Welge did not offer a damage estimate. He also said the company has to survey the 40,000-square-foot structure to gain more information.

He said at least half of the building’s square footage was destroyed.

He said the first step is to determine what happened.

“We will then look at all options at this point,” he said.

Welge praised the firefighters for their work to keep the blaze as contained as they did.

“The main thing is there was no loss of life,” he said. “No one was injured. Everything else can be repaired or replaced.”

In addition to the products manufactured in Momence, Gilster-Mary Lee produces cake, cookie, bread and biscuit mixes. The company also produces breading for companies such as Chick-fil-A.