A large plume of smoke rose from a fire burning in an apartment building on the far Northwest Side of Chicago Friday afternoon, with flames bursting through windows on the third floor.
Around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, aerial video from NBC Chicago Sky 5 showed thick smoke rising from an apartment complex on the 8600 block of West Foster. Residents told NBC Chicago the building is the Honeybees Association Apartment Complex.
Chicago Fire Department said their crews evacuated the building and began defensive operations against the fire, using at least two ladders to hose the flames. At least four units were destroyed by the fire and many others were filled with smoke, authorities said.
The fire was under control by 5 p.m., CFD said. No injuries were reported, though many residents were treated for smoke inhalation. One firefighter slipped and fell, CFD added.
Flames burst from windows on the building’s third floor, video showed.
The building on fire is next door to Everett Mckinley Dirksen Elementary School.
A person whose 9-year-old brother attends Everett Mckinley Dirksen Elementary School told NBC Chicago he called their mother crying and said he could not breathe due to smoke in the building from the fire.
“There’s a bad fire,” the student told his family over text around 2:30 p.m. “It smells.”
Chicago Public Schools and Everett Mckinley Dirksen Elementary did not immediately reply to NBC Chicago’s inquiries.
Video on social media showed a large emergency response in the area as smoke filled the air. Kids with backpacks could also be seen walking in the area.
No additional information was immediately available.
Check back for more on this developing story.
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