Sep 19, 2008 5:39 pm US/Central
Chinatown Museum Fire Causes Major Damage
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
More than 140 firefighters and paramedics spent nearly two hours fighting a fire in a Chinese-American museum on the Near South Side that caused significant damage Friday afternoon.
An EMS Plan 1 and still-and-box alarm were called at 2:02 p.m. for a fire at the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago -- Raymond B. & Jean T. Lee Center at 239 W. Alexander St., according to Fire Media Affairs Asst. Director Eve Rodriguez.
CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports firefighters said the blaze was in the walls of the building.
A source told CBS 2's Joanie Lum the museum was getting ready for a remodel. Employees were packing items Friday afternoon in preparation. The source said at about 1:50 p.m. they left the building and set the alarm.
Just minutes later, police saw smoke in the alley and called 911. The flames moved quickly, and, according to the source, the top floor is destroyed.
Valuable artifacts were stored on the lower floor. At the very least, they are water damaged. At worst they have been destroyed. They potentially include items on loan from other museums.
"We saw fire coming out of the third floor, and then pretty much the third and fourth floor are all broken up and the water jets were shooting inside. We feel pretty bad but I am sure we're going to put in our time again and make it operate again," said museum volunteer and board member Kinman Auyeung.
The fire was struck out Friday afternoon and no one was injured.
St. Theresa School was on lockdown because of the blaze and immediate neighbors were evacuated.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. The building dates back to 1889.
The museum, formerly the Quong Yick Co., opened to the public in May 2005, according to its Web site.
CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman and Joanie Lum and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Celebrity Watcher: Real Or Fake?
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
