Man Critially Injured in Uptown Fire

A man was critically injured, 12 other residents displaced and a firefighter treated for cuts from a fire in the Uptown neighborhood Saturday morning.

Crews responded a still-and-box alarm fire in a three-story building 1217 W. Lawrence Ave., Fire Media Affairs reported about 7:20 a.m.

Firefighters saw a man waving from a third-floor window and raised a ladder for him to climb out, Fire Media Affairs said. Before he could, he fell back in the apartment and firefighters had to climb up the ladder to bring him down.

He was taken in “very critical” condition to Weiss Memorial Hospital with smoke inhalation and burns, according to Fire Media Affairs.

A firefighter at the scene suffered minor cuts, according to Fire Media, and was taken in good condition to Weiss Memorial Hospital.

The fire was extinguished about 7:40 a.m. and 12 people were displaced.

The fire resulted in reroutes to the CTA’s No. 81 Lawrence Avenue bus, since emergency vehicles blocked traffic on Lawrence at Broadway.