2 Chicago firefighters dead, 2 hurt in extra-alarm blaze

Chicago fire personnel evacuate an injured firefighter at a extra-alarm fire at 1700 East 75th Street. (E. Jason Wambsgans/ Chicago Tribune)

 

Two firefighters died and two others were injured when a wall collapsed during a 3-11 alarm fire at an abandoned South Side commercial building this morning, authorities said.

Firefighters searched through rubble for more than an hour as the trapped firefighters were pulled out and rushed to hospitals.

Police squad cars escorted two ambulances north on Lake Shore Drive to Northwestern as ramps were closed to clear it of traffic, according to fire communications. One of the firefighters taken there has died, sources said. The condition of the other one was not available.

A third trapped firefighter was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died. The condition of the fourth firefighter was not available.

Firefighters dig through rubble as they search for trapped colleagues after a brick wall collapsed at a South Side fire in a vacant commercial building. (WGN-TV)

 

About half a dozen police cars and several fire vehicles were parked in front of the emergency room at Northwestern. Truck 122 pulled up and three firefighters walked in, including a lieutenant. One  firefighter from Truck 122 was on a cell phone and wiped away tears with his jacket.

The fire broke out about 6:54 a.m. in the abandoned one-story brick building in the 1700 block of East 75th Street.

The fire was raised to two and then three alarms to save the trapped firefighters. A "mayday" was called. Firefighters also reported having problems with frozen hydrants.

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