The Chicago Tribune has an article about Tuesday’s 3-11 Alarm commercial fire on the city’s North Side.
Fire crews were called to the furniture store about 3:20 p.m. A 3-11 alarm, bringing more than 110 firefighters to the scene, was called by about 3:45 p.m., sending extra equipment as the fire got close to the tracks. The fire was under control about 6:30 p.m., but firefighters still were pouring water on the north side of the building about 6:45 p.m., according to Deputy Fire Cmsr. Michael Callahan.
The fire was finally out by about 9:45 p.m., but the building was considered unstable and fire officials were awaiting an expert opinion on whether the building would have to be demolished, accordign to Fire Media Affairs.
The complete article is HERE.
Steve Redick was at the scene and submitted several images.
Firefighters in Tower Ladder 21's bucket direct a master stream into a second floor window. Steve Redick photo
Engine 22 was on the initial alarm and had a hydrant on Sheffield at Fullerton. Steve Redick photo
Chicago Engine 55 was the first engine on the scene and took a hydrant across from the fire building. Steve Redick photo
The fire building was at the corner of Sheffield and Montana. This shot shows two multi-versals working as smoke pushes out of the first floor windows along Montana. Steve Redick photo
Tower Ladder 21 works the front of the building on Sheffield. Steve Redick photo
Overhead power lines and large trees forced Tower Ladder 21 to take a position that would allow them to get under the wires to hit the windows. Steve Redick photo
Squad 1, working from a spare apparatus, setup in the parking lot to deploy their Snorkel. Steve Redick photo
Engine 35 was on a hydrant around the corner. Steve Redick photo
Smoke pushes out of all windows on the first floor and the street is full of water as debris clogs the sewers. Steve Redick photo
Noxious brown smoke fills the streets around the fire building. Steve Redick photo
Against a dramatic backdrop of heavy smoke, Squad 1 uses a master stream from the Snorkel. Steve Redick photo
Except for the cab, the majority of Tower Ladder 10, also working with a spare, is concealed by heavy smoke and trees on this residential street. Steve Redick photo
More images can be viewed HERE.
#1 by Sebastian on May 30, 2012 - 4:59 PM
Especially Tower 10!! every other week an old E-one is in their bay!!!!
#2 by Martin on May 30, 2012 - 12:15 PM
Is Chicago getting new tower trucks?
#3 by Dave on May 30, 2012 - 11:44 AM
I appreciate your providing great photos of the scene. As a point of clarification, the building location is Sheffield and Altgeld, not Montana, which is one block to the south.
#4 by Nick N on May 29, 2012 - 11:31 PM
Great shots! Like every fire though, it is too bad something was lost. I hope everyone is ok! Also, does CFD have an abnormal amount of apparatus maintenance issues? It seems like every single fire has at least 1 reserve unit on the scene. I find it somewhat humorous that those old beat up E2XX E-One tower ladders always seem to be ready to go, but the newer stuff is sitting broken in the shop.