Fire Erupts in Lakeview Apartment Building

It took fire crews more than an hour to extinguish a huge fire in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood on Saturday afternoon.

The fire erupted in a three-story apartment building in the 800 block of West Cornelia Avenue at around 2 p.m.  Thick, black smoke that pierced the cloudless blue sky could be seen for miles.

The fire -- in a U-shaped apartment complex with a courtyard -- was elevated to a third alarm at about 2:45 p.m. Fire officials, via Twitter, downgraded the fire shortly after 3 p.m.

There were no injuries to apartment residents, though one firefighter injured his shoulder.

All occupants of the buildings got out by themselves and no rescues were necessary.

yfrog: Smoke seen from CTA's Belmont Station
yfrog: Residents gather outside apartment building
TwitPic: Fire engines in the neighborhood
yfrog: Flames/smoke from Boystown fire
TwitPic: Firefighters on the scene
 
Across town, firefighters battled another fire in the Englewood neighborhood. Three firefighters were hospitalized.