250 Firefighters Respond To Blaze At Chicago Condo Building; 1 In Critical Condition

CHICAGO, IL — Hundreds of firefighters were called Tuesday to the scene of a blaze at a Hyde Park condominium building that left one resident in critical condition, according to authorities.

First responders were notified around 3:30 a.m. of the fire at a four-story structure in the 5100 block of South Kenwood Avenue, which was still not under control as of 7 a.m., Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said at a press conference published by WLS.

When firefighters arrived, they found the back porches engulfed in flames on the second, third and fourth floors, while hoarding conditions on the second floor made it difficult to enter the building, according to Nance-Holt. The roof caved in, the stairwells burned out, and over 250 firefighters as well as about 100 pieces of equipment were on the scene, Nance-Holt said.

“We’re pouring tons of water on this fire,” she said, noting a female resident in critical condition had been transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center. “The good news is that everybody else is safe at this point.”

Eight people were displaced as of Tuesday morning, according to Nance-Holt.