CHICAGO (STMW) – Firefighters took more than two hours to put out an extra-alarm blaze that caused extensive damage to an abandoned factory on the South Side Thursday evening.

The fire was reported at 6:17 p.m. in an abandoned factory at 1800 W. Marketplace Access Rd., Fire Media Affairs spokesman Richard Rosado said. The fire was quickly upgraded to a 2-11 alarm at 6:24 p.m. and firefighters were initially using four to five master streams to extinguish the blaze, he said.

The fire caused extensive damage throughout the building and broke several windows, Rosado said. A portion of the roof collapsed and crews were forced to battle the fire defensively.

There were no reports of injuries and the fire was struck about 8:30 p.m., Rosado said. The Dept. of Buildings was called to the scene and the building is expected to be barricaded, he said.

Both the northbound and southbound exits of the Stevenson Expressway (I-55) at Damen Avenue were shut down as crews battled the fire, according to Illinois State Police.

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