A car smashed into a giant Kohl's department store at a mall in downstate Illinois early Monday morning, leading to a fire spreading to the building "in large, hidden areas," as emergency crews remained on scene.

Just before 4 a.m., crews from the City of Bloomington Fire Department were dispatched to the Eastland Mall, at 1615 E. Empire St. for reports of a car hitting the Kohl's department store. When units arrived, they found an unoccupied vehicle, partially on fire, inside the store, a release said.

Officials later determined the fire had spread to the building, with a "full recall of off-duty firefighters" requested.

As of 7 a.m., the incident remained ongoing, with crews continuing to fight the blaze in "large, hidden areas" along the store's exterior wall.

"Access to this part o

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