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6 Firefighters Hospitalized For Breathing Problems After House Fire

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Six firefighters were taken to hospitals Monday morning, when they started feeling ill a few hours after putting out a small fire in the West Town neighborhood.

Firefighters responded to a 911 call for a house fire in the 1400 block of West Huron Street around 12:45 a.m. Upon arriving, they found the furnace had apparently overheated in the basement.

Crews put out a small fire, but a few hours later, after returning to their firehouses, several firefighters began suffering nose and throat irritation. Five firefighters from a fire company at Madison and Leavitt and one firefighter from a company at Chicago and Ashland were taken to hospitals.

"At that point in time, as a precaution, we sent them to the hospital to be evaluated, and at this point in time all are expected to be released," assistant deputy fire commissioner Timothy Sampey said.

Sampey said the firefighters had been wearing breathing masks while fighting the fire, but took them off when they got outside the house. He said it was possible winds shifted while firefighters were outside, and they breathed in smoke or some other irritant.

"It's very unusual," he said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Sampey said the Office of Fire Investigations also was working to determine exactly what caused the firefighters to become ill. He said the family that lives in the home has been relocated to a hotel, and were all in good condition.

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