PHOTOS: A fireball shot into the sky Thursday evening as an apartment house went up in flames in Pilsen.
Firefighters were called to the scene at 8:15 p.m., and found flames raging at the two-and-a-half-story, multi-family frame house at 1355 W. 16th St., Chicago Fire Department Assistant 1st District Chief Jim McDonough said.
The building was vacant and was being remodeled at the time, he said.
Firefighters immediately launched a blitz attack – directing two hose lines on the house while protecting nearby homes.
The Fire Department raised a 2-11 alarm for additional equipment and manpower. A 2-11 alarm brings 32 pieces of fire equipment and just short of 100 firefighters, McDonough explained.
The fire did spread to two nearby buildings to the east and west – both of them constructed from a wood frame with a brick veneer, and both of them occupied, McDonough said.