Firefighter, Civilian Injured In Humboldt Park Fire
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A firefighter and one other person were injured, and several people were forced out of their homes, after damaged three buildings in the Humboldt Park neighborhood overnight.
CBS 2's Courtney Gousman reports the fire started around 1 a.m. at a 3 ½-story residential building at 3215 W. Wabansia Av.
The flames spread to a neighboring home, and a vacant building under construction, before it was put out around 3 a.m.
All three buildings were left charred by flames, and were boarded up Tuesday morning.
One man living in the building where the fire started, and a firefighter who responded to the blaze, were injured and taken to local hospitals.
"Upon search of the building, they had one civilian removed out of the rear of the structure; was taken to Norweigen Hospital," Fire Department District Chief Timothy Sampey said.
That man was treated for an asthma attack, brought on by inhaling smoke when he re-entered the building to try and save his five cats. He was released from the hospital later Tuesday morning.
The firefighter who was hospitalized had suffered chest pain, but was later released from the hospital.
Three families once lived in the building where the fire started, but they need to find a new place to live.
Jacqueline Uriostegui was sleeping in the building at the time the fire started.
"It was just horrible. It was full of flames already, and my daughter was right next to the window," she said. "My parents – I screamed, they got up, and we ran out."
It wasn't long before the fire spread to the two buildings on either side of the one where it started. One of those buildings was vacant and under construction, but the family living in the other building went scrambling for safety.
Those who called the building at 3216 W. Wabansia Av. lost everything, quite possibly even those five cats.
The American Red Cross was providing assistance to the families affected by the fire.
The Fire Department was investigating the cause of the blaze.
