Two Firefighters Injured In Extra-Alarm Blaze In East Garfield Park

(CBS) -- Two firefighters sustained minor injuries Monday night during an extra-alarm fire at a strip mall in East Garfield Park.

The incident began around 7:15 p.m. when the Chicago Fire Department responded to call at Kedzie and Van Buren, the site of a Family Dollar store, an Urban Beautique salon and a restaurant. The fire quickly spread, prompting fire officials to call for reinforcements and fight the blaze defensively.

"It's a lightweight-constructed building, and it's a large area, so it's susceptible to collapse," District Fire Chief Michael Carbone told reporters.

Two firefighters suffered from heat exhaustion and were taken to the  hospital, he said. But no other injuries were reported.

At its worst, the blaze was elevated to a 3-alarm fire and a Level-1 hazmat. Firefighters remained on the scene late Monday, putting out "hot spots."

Carbone said the cause was still under investigation.

A woman at the scene tells CBS 2's Dana Kozlov she witnessed an argument between a Family Dollar employee and a man who was angry.

"The last thing he said was, 'I'll be back. I'm going to burn this thing down,'" the witness said. She declined to give her name.

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