KEWANEE, Ill. – What could be considered part of a piece of local history in West Central Illinois was destroyed over the weekend by fire.
Police in the Henry County city of Kewanee say two juveniles – ages 15, and 16 – face charges of Criminal Trespass to Property, while the 16-year-old also faces a charge of Criminal Damage to Property by Means of Fire.
Fire broke out in the office structures of the old Kewanee Boiler Corporation plant Saturday evening, reportedly rekindling for a time Sunday.
Police say dashcam video caught the juveniles fleeing the property.
Kewanee Boiler Corporation started in 1868, and continued in operation until 2002, according to the Kewanee Historical Society. The 33-acre property has largely sat vacant since. “Kewanee Boilers” were in use across the country over the years, likely including in Peoria.
What was, at one point, the largest employer in Kewanee is also the inspiration for the mascot of one of the city’s two high schools: the Kewanee Boilermakers.
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