Extra-Alarm Fire At Old Post Office Snarls Midday Traffic
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago firefighters spent more than 90 minutes battling an extra-alarm fire Tuesday morning at the Old Post Office in downtown Chicago, creating a headache for travelers getting on or off the nearby Eisenhower Expressway.
The fire started shortly before 10 a.m., and dark smoke could be seen pouring from several windows on the hulking building at 433 W. Van Buren St., straddling Congress Parkway. According to the Fire Department, there was fire on multiple floors of the building. The Fire Department called in a 2-11 alarm for the fire, bringing at least eight engines, four trucks, two tower ladders, five battalion chiefs, a district chief, a deputy district chief, a squad company, an ambulance and the Command Van to the scene.
Smoke had dissipated by 11 a.m., but fire crews were still working to put out the fire, with multiple trucks extending ladders to the upper floors. The 2-11 alarm was struck out by 11:35 a.m. No injuries were reported.
The Eisenhower Expressway was closed at the Byrne Circle due to falling glass from the building while firefighters were battling the blaze. Several streets around the post office also were closed, but traffic returned to normal after the fire was out.
Fire Department officials said the fire started in a rubbish pile on the 7th floor.
The building has been undergoing renovations. Earlier this year, the Emanuel administration announced 601W Companies LLC had finalized plans to purchase the building and begin a $500 million redevelopment to turn the site into office space. Plans also call for a rooftop park, outdoor cafes, a fitness center, and a new stretch of Riverwalk space.
The 2.7-million square foot post office opened in 1921, and is a familiar sight to anyone who uses the Eisenhower Expressway to get to and from the Loop, spanning it just west of the South Branch of the Chicago River.
The building has been vacant since 1996, when the U.S. Postal Service moved out. British developer Bill Davies purchased the building in 2009 for $24 million, but never followed through with plans to redevelop it. He died in May, just days after closing the sale to 601W.
