Update: Huge fire prompts evacuation

Chicago Tribune ^ | 11/14/03 | Chicago Tribune

[El Laton Caliente]

Update: Huge fire prompts evacuation Hundreds of firefighters battled a roaring warehouse fire that spread to other buildings on Chicago's Southwest Side this morning

[El Laton Caliente]

This started as an apparent car fire that spread to four warehouses / small factories. There have been multiple explosions shoot flames 100 feet or more above the buildings. There are nearly 250 firemen involved in fighting this fire; about 1/3 of the Chicago fire department.

This is the third day in a row Chicago has awoken to a major fire. Wednesday morning a large apartment fire occurred with one fatality and several injuries including three firefighters. Thursday morning another apartment building burned with three fatalities.

[facedown]

A rag factory, no less. Now a plumbing supply business as well.

[Dog Gone]

Does Mrs. O'Leary's cow have an alibi this time?

[spunkets]

A car caught fire and burned between the buildings.

[max_rpf]

Anyone have the address?

[spunkets]

It was a textile warehouse.

[mewzilla]

Prayers for the firefighters.

[spunkets]

roughly 2800 w Ogden per WLS.

[Catspaw]

The Trib says 19th and Peoria Streets.

[Johnny Gage]

It happens.

If the vehicle is parked next to a builing, it doesn't take much fire exposure to catch the building.

We got a mutual aid call for a neighboring city when a car fire burned down a dairy queen.

[Johnny Gage]

Any news station in Chicago got a live feed for this?

[spunkets]

1800 s Peoria is probably right. The address I gave is Mt Sinai hosp. I assume that's where they took the injured.

[El Laton Caliente]

I was watching this on TV before I left for work. I haven’t seen a fire this large except in a refinery. With about 70 fire trucks and 250 firemen involved they still can’t seem to get control of it.

[Catspaw]

No live feed, but here's some video:

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/video/1114spec.html

[Johnny Gage]

[El Laton Caliente]

WLS is now reporting the fire is out at 7:50 am. Two of four buildings completely distroyed.

[Styria]

The wind gave the car fire all the oxygen it needed, and then gave it to the buildings too.

[Johnny Gage]

more pictures:

Streaming Video link to fire report:
NBC5 Feedroom

UPDATE:
Shortly before 8 a.m., more than 250 Chicago firefighters reported that the biggest fire in Chicago in 20 years had been contained. The fire broke out overnight in the Pilsen neighborhood.

[El Laton Caliente]

Thanks for doing the photos Johnny G.