Firefighters battle extra-alarm blaze in Chatham apartment building

Chicago firefighters were responding to a large fire Tuesday afternoon in an apartment building in the Chatham neighborhood.

Heavy flames and smoke could be seen pouring from the third floor and roof of an apartment building at the corner of 79th Street and Calumet Avenue around 5 p.m.

Firefighters have ventilated the roof and called in a 2-11 alarm to bring in extra crews. A 2-11 alarm sends at least eight engines, four trucks, two tower ladders, five battalion chiefs, a district chief, a deputy district chief, a squad company, an ambulance, and the Command Van to the scene, with around 100 firefighters responding.

At least one apartment appeared to be fully engulfed in flames, and crews could be seen using at least two hose lines to try to extinguish the fire from the street level.

It was not immediately clear if anyone had been injured in the fire.