PONTIAC - More than two dozen emergency vehicles and more than 50 firefighters from surrounding towns remained at the scene of a plant fire in Pontiac early today.

Fire broke out on the paint line of Interlake Material Handling Inc. before 9:39 p.m. Monday. The building at Old Route 66 and Illinois 116 on the west side of Pontiac was evacuated, and no injuries were reported.

"We had a really good working fire showing through the roof," said Pontiac Fire Chief Dennis McDugle.

McDugle added that the fire started about 300 to 350 feet inside the plant, which manufactures steel rack and shelving systems.

McDugle said the plant uses an electrostatic process to paint metal components. The blaze started during the process, but the cause remained under investigation.

Interlake employs about 285 people and is among Pontiac's largest employers.

About 120 employees were working in the building at the time. There were two paint lines operating, and about 13 people were working on the one where the fire occurred.

"Everyone got out safely, and the evacutation went according to procedures," said plant manager Jerry Guthke.

First- and second-shift workers are expected to report to work as planned. The status of third shift was not clear early today.

Guthke said the fire would have only a short-term effect on plant operations, but he could not comment further because damage still was being assessed.

The fire created a 50-by-about-100 foot hole in the plant roof.

It took firefighters about 20 minutes to knock down the fire. By 11:30 p.m., the fire was out, and firefighters brought in fans to ventilate the rest of the building.

A number of surrounding communities assisted the Pontiac Fire Department in fighting the blaze, including a ladder truck from Bloomington. Units came from Saunemin, Cullon, Flanagan, Cornell, Odell, Chenoa, Fairbury and ambulance crews from Duffy Ambulance Service in Pontiac and the Fairbury-based Southeast Livingston County Ambulance Service.

In early 2006, United Fixtures Holdings purchased the company for $48 million. United Fixtures is owned by Lake Forest-based Winnchurch Capital Ltd.

Interlake, a Naperville-based company - started in 1964 after Interlake Iron Co. merged with Acme Steel Co. The Pontiac plant - the first steel storage rake plant for the company - was built in 1964. In 1999, the company was sold to Brambles Industries of Australia and GKN of London.

At one time, Interlake employed more than 470 but prices of steel forced lay-offs in 2002 and 2004 reducing Interlake's workforce. During a round of lay-offs in 2004, employee numbers were cut to roughly 220.

Most of the 285 employees are members of the United Steel Fabricators Local 101.