4 injured including 2 firefighters, 14 displaced after fire in Back of the Yards
Four people, including two firefighters, were taken to the hospital, and over a dozen people were displaced, after an apartment building fire in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood on Thursday morning.
The Chicago Fire Department responded to the fire in the 4500 block of South Laflin Street around 5 a.m.
Firefighters found intense fire in one building that spread to the buildings on either side, Chicago Fire Department District Chief Scott Shawaluk said.
Video from the scene shows heavy smoke coming from the building as crews work to extinguish the flames.
The Fire Department called a 2-11 alarm, which sends an array of equipment and about 100 firefighters, and an EMS Plan 1, which sends five ambulances, Shawaluk said.
"I look out the window and the firemen opened up the front door, the bottom part, and flames came shooting out," said neighbor John Hernandez, "and then it came out between the window on the second floor—flames started shooting out of there too, you know?"
Shawaluk said all the residents of the building self-evacuated.
However, Shawaluk said two civilians and two firefighters suffered minor injuries. All were taken to the hospital in unspecified conditions.
One of the people hospitalized was a 90-year-old woman who was having trouble breathing. Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) said the woman is a longtime family friend, and she is expected to recover.
Lopez said the woman's family, and everyone else who called the six-unit building where the fire broke out home, are displaced.
A total of 14 people were displaced by the fire, Shawaluk said.
Pets were also rescued. The Chicago Fire Department posted a photo of two firefighters carrying cages of parakeets from the scene of the fire.
A cat was also rescued and reunited with its owner.
The roof collapsed at the primary structure that was on fire, a 2 1/2-story frame apartment house. Following the fire, the entire middle section of the apartment house was gone.
The structures to which the fire spread were another frame house and a brick building.
Another neighbor said he was so nervous about the fire spreading earlier Thursday morning that he started to pack his things.
"The fact that they were able to contain it and respond in the manner that they did, we're incredibly grateful for that response. And thank you. We can't say thank you enough," said Juan Ignacio Gonzalez. "We're sorry to see the people that did get affected — wonderful people."
CBS News Chicago spoke with neighbors who feel sorry for the children living through the situation.
"They're usually the kids who are just running around the block," said Yari Opio. "It's very sad to know that, you know, they might've lost some things."
Shawaluk said crews did a phenomenal job, particularly in protecting the houses to which the fire spread. The situation could have been much worse, Shawaluk said.
Firefighters remained at the scene for several hours because of hot spots, Shawaluk said.
By 11 a.m., firefighters had left the scene, but fire investigators remained on site and the block remained closed off. Heavy construction equipment was also on the scene, as Ald. Lopez said crews were digging to be able to shut off the gas to the building that burned.
The heavy equipment was then set to take off the front of the apartment house where the fire began, because investigators still have not determined the cause of the fire and needed access to find out.
There was also a giant tree stretching across Laflin Street about a block from the scene of the fire, after being felled by the storms on Wednesday. Pieces of debris were also seen strewn about from the storm.
But Ald. Lopez said he did not think weather played a role in the fire.
