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One Hurt When Fire Guts Apartment In Lake Shore Drive High-Rise

CHICAGO (CBS) -- One person was treated for smoke inhalation as Chicago firefighters put out a small but smoky fire on the third floor of a 43-floor apartment building at 2800 N. Lake Shore Dr.

A 911 caller reported the fire at 6:55 p.m., firefighters were on the scene within five minutes, and had the fire in unit 302 out by 7:30 p.m.

Fire Department District Chief Peter Van Dorpe said the fire gutted the unit. It began in the bedroom, but the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Third floor residents told WBBM that they smelled smoke and saw it curling up from under the unit's door. Several residents went up and down the hallway, knocking on doors.

"It was scary," said resident Christina Mercader, who lives across the hallway and said she smelled smoke, looked in the hallway, saw smoke curling up from the door across the hall, and ran for the elevator.

Van Dorpe said the smoke proved more troublesome than the fire. Residents in eight of the building's 670 units asked for assistance in getting out because of the smoke, even though Van Dorpe said the only place where it was thick was the third floor, and not for long.

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