This morning, the Chicago Fire Department (MABAS Division 9) requested an ambulance strike team (10 ambulances and chief officers) through MABAS Division 3. Later, they upgraded to a 2nd Alarm for an additional strike team.
Images from the event should be updating throughout the day, but the following was distributed by CFD Media.
Mobile Ventilation Unit 9-2-3 was used as a mister to cool the crowds downtown. CFD Media photo
Chicago firefighters responded to a reported fire in a large warehouse complex last night at 4834 S. Halsted. First arriving units found a 200×500, 5-story, fire-resistive structure with heavy smoke pushing out of the first floor. After a brief interior attack, companies were pulled out to initiate defensive operations. The alarm was upgraded to a 2-11 and a special call was made for Engine 81 with Hose Wagon 6-1-1.
The Chicago Tribune reported:
One firefighter was injured at an extra-alarm blaze in an abandoned factory in the Back of the Yards neighborhood that was being brought under control this evening.
The fire started in the abandoned L-shaped building west of 48th Street and Halsted Avenue about 5:45 p.m. The firefighter was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment, where he was alert and comfortable this evening, according to the Fire Department.
The factory building is of concrete construction, so was not as difficult to contain the fire as the recent extra-alarm fire in Bridgeport.
About a dozen fire department vehicles were stationed around the vacant warehouse Monday evening as others blocked off Halsted between 47th and 49th streets.
Firefighters called to the scene were confronted with volumes of “thick black smoke” streaming out of the warehouse’s windows, said deputy fire comissioner John McNicholas.
The entire Tribune article is HERE with a video and several images.
Tower Ladders and the Snorkel were positioned to be put to work, but the fire was determined to be involving contents and not the building itself. Another special request was made for Engine 106 with 9-2-3, the Mobile Ventilation Unit.
Tim Olk, Steve Redick, and Larry Shapiro went to the scene, but there was not much to see.
Chicago firefighters responded to a fire at Andy’s Deli at 5442 N. Milwaukee Avenue Wednesday evening. First arriving companies found fire in the commercial occupancy and initially had trouble securing a water supply due to several frozen hydrants in the area. The fire attack went defensive partially due to concerns about the integrity of the roof and a 2-11 Alarm was requested. Two tower ladders and Squad 2’s Snorkel applied water from their buckets and Truck 55 had their main in the air with a master stream in place. A special call was made for the Mobile Ventilation Unit (9-2-3) from Engine 106’s quarters and it was put to work in Sector 1 to push the fire to the rear and through the roof to allow companies to get at it since much of the roof had remained intact.
Steve Redick took in the fire as did Larry Shapiro. A gallery of images by Larry Shapiro can be seen HERE.
A gallery link to images by Steve Redick is HERE.
Here are a few images from the scene.
The Chicago Tribune has a brief article HERE.
A view of Sector 1 shows smoke but no visible fire. Since much of the roof remained intact, space was cleared out to allow access for the Mobile Ventilation Unit. Larry Shapiro photo
Since the fire was in the center of the building and the roof was largely intact, the MVU 9-2-3 was setup in front of the building to fan the fire so that firefighters could attack it without entering the premises. Larry Shapiro photo
A view from the alley shows heavy smoke pushing out of the rear because of the MVU on the street in front. Larry Shapiro photo
Engine 119 had a hydrant at one end of the alley where it meets Menard. Sewers were blocked and a large amount of water built up in the alley and down Menard. Larry Shapiro photo
Engine 83 brought Light Wagon 9-1-3 to the scene, as one is due at each 2-11 alarm fire in the city. Towards the end of the event, it was brought to Sector 1 and put to work offering firefighters greater visibility to direct handlines deep into the building from the sidewalk. Larry Shapiro photo
As companies began to break down their lines, most encountered hose with water that had frozen. They had to wrestle with the rigid hose to get it onto the engines and in some cases along the aerial bed of ladders for the trip back to quarters. There, companies repacked with new hose and dealt with the frozen hose in whatever manner they could. Larry Shapiro photo
Engine 108 has frozen hose propped over the top of the engine for the careful trip back to quarters. Larry Shapiro photo
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
