Watch CBS News

None Hurt In Fire At Skokie Living Facility

SKOKIE, Ill. (STMW) -- No one was hurt when Skokie firefighters battled a blaze at a facility for developmentally disabled adults Tuesday night, amid bitingly cold conditions.

The fire started just before 7 p.m. at Orchard Village, in the 7600 block of Marmora Avenue, fire officials said.

When firefighters arrived, flames were shooting through the roof of a 150-foot by 75-foot assembly hall, which is connected by a corridor to another structure, Skokie Fire Chief Ralph Czerwinski said.

No one lives in the building damaged by the fire, and no one was displaced or hurt. All of the residents and staff members were accounted for, Czerwinski said.

Crews took a defensive stance, and used an aerial tower to stop the blaze from spreading down the hallway, Czerwinski said.

Firefighters had the blaze under control in 15 to 20 minutes, although the roof of the assembly hall collapsed.

Skokie firefighters brought in additional help from nearby suburbs because of the very cold weather conditions. Nearby O'Hare Airport recorded a temperature of 15 degrees Tuesday evening, with a wind chill of 2 degrees, the National Weather Service said.

"It is amazingly cold out there," Czerwinski said. "We did not have any problems with our water system, and we were very cautious with how we used it."

Authorities could not immediately say what caused the fire, but estimate it caused at least $150,000 to $200,000 in damage.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.