Fire ignites at Eastplex building complex

A large structure fire ignited around 6:30 p.m. on Bloomington’s far east side on the second floor of the Eastplex building complex located at 4601-4699 Morningside Drive.

The building, managed by Grant Properties, houses several companies and businesses.

Chris Cox, of Curare Group Physicians, was working late in the building when the fire alarm went off. After seeing thick black smoke coming through an office at the far end of the hallway, he and others exited the building while Cox dialed 911.

Cox said there were at least four others, to the best of his knowledge, that left the building. When they exited into the Eastplex parking lot, he heard glass breaking and saw flames shooting out from office windows.

Then Cox went back into the building for a quick sweep to make sure nobody was left inside.

“I started hearing pops and cracks in the attic above me,” Cox said.

He then left for good, confident nobody was inside.

Cox also mentioned he saw another worker, Chip Jackson, walking out of the building with two computer servers under his arms.

“I would have done the same if I knew which ones to grab,” Cox said.

There were no reports of injuries from firefighters or witnesses.

Many employees from various offices in the building arrived to where their structurally sound workplace once stood.

James Bik was one of them, who works for Physician Recruiters. “It’s a huge loss,” Bik said.

The 10 years of files and computer servers from the 25 people employed by the company will be lost, he said. The building, with an all wood attic, is very old with many AC problems.

As residents of the surrounding neighborhood congregated to watch the blaze, multiple fire trucks, two with aerial ladders, surrounded the complex in an attempt to save the building while police kept the spectators at bay.

The blaze was beginning to die down around 8 p.m.