Dec 14, 2007 7:03 am US/Central
Lack Of Warning In High-Rise Fire Raises Worries
No One Injured In East Lakeview Fire, But Many Say They Were Notified By Neighbors
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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A fire broke out in a Wrigleyville high-rise at 810 W. Grace.
CBS
Concerns continue Friday morning that residents of an East Lakeview neighborhood high-rise that caught fire were not notified quickly enough.
The fire broke out around 3:45 p.m. Thursday afternoon in a 19th floor apartment in the Gill Park Cooperative, at 810 W. Grace St. Fire Department Commissioner Raymond Orozoco said the fire broke out in unit 1907 and spread to other floors.
Firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control after about half an hour, and no residents were injured. One firefighter was taken to an area hospital.
The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago is assisting those affected by the fire.
Residents who spoke to CBS 2's Derrick Blakley immediately after the fire reported that while some people were panicking, the evacuation was orderly. But they also said no alarms went off, and each resident had a story to tell about how they made it to safety.
One family was alerted by their young daughter.
"She's actually the one who told my wife that something was happening, something hitting windows, and my wife looked and smelled smoke and ended up knocking on the door of my floor and got most everybody out," said resident Michael Lopez.
Alex Rodriguez lives on the 16th floor and first learned of the fire when a friend called, and then he saw fire engines coming down the street.
"A good friend called, otherwise I wouldn't have known because no alarm went off,'' Rodriguez said.
Another resident who lives on the 11th floor said people were running and yelling, telling people to get out. However, nobody on his floor heard an alarm.
"I came outside and I saw the flames," said a man who identified himself as Chris. "No warning, just people screaming and knocking on people's doors.''
The building, which was constructed in 1969, does not have sprinklers. But residents said their units and hallways do have smoke alarms.
Eight apartments on three floors suffered fire and smoke damage.
The Fire Department has directed special attention toward high-rise fires, sending in extra fire equipment and ambulances, since receiving pointed criticism after six people died in a fire at the Cook County Administration Building downtown on Oct. 17, 2003. In that fire, the victims died in a smoky stairwell after being directed to go back up when trying to evacuate and finding exit doors locked.
Residents of the Gill Park Cooperative said there were no problems with stairwells or fire doors during their evacuation.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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