A deadly fire broke out in a high-rise apartment building on Chicago’s South Side on Wednesday, quickly spreading to nine floors and causing one death and eight injuries, including a firefighter.
The fire began on the 15th floor of the Harper Square Cooperative at around 10 a.m. and rapidly moved upwards, making it challenging for firefighters to contain.
One person died in the blaze, and eight people were hospitalized with injuries. A firefighter was also injured while battling the flames.
Before the fire department was able to gain control of the fire, which took around 90 minutes, flames could be seen licking the exterior of the 50-year-old building, as thick smoke billowed from the structure, with winds reaching 15 miles per hour.
The 25-story, 360-unit apartment building is equipped with smoke detectors in the hallways, but it is unclear if it has a sprinkler system, according to fire officials.
