Fire officials were investigating the cause of a fire that engulfed four apartment buildings and a garage near the University of Illinois at
Chicago campus.
About 150 firefighters were involved in battling the extra-alarm blaze which began about 3 p.m. on the 700 block of South Aberdeen and was under control by 4:58 p.m., said Dep. Fire Cmdr. Michael Callahan.
One firefighter was treated at the scene for shortness of breath, he said.
Firefighters at the scene of the blaze on the 700 block of South Aberdeen Street. (Tribune / José M. Osorio)
The fire erupted on the rear porch of a building at 716 S. Aberdeen and spread to three other buildings and a garage. He said by the time fire fighters arrived, "flames were already shooting over the roof.''
He said heavy wind caused the fire to quickly spread to the other buildings.
The three-story brick apartment buildings, which were near the end of a dead end of South Aberdeen, housed about six apartments each. Officials said the residents of the buildings had evacuated themselves before firefighters could make it to the scene.
Callahan said three of the four buildings sustained significant damage and the fourth building had minor damage.
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