A condominium complex’s parking garage on Chicago’s Near West Side caught fire Tuesday afternoon, destroying numerous cars and causing a scare for people in the surrounding homes.
Smoke filled the area for hours near Ashland Avenue and Flournoy Street, just across the street from Rush Hospital.
“We saw a lot of fire,” said Allison Welch, who works across the street.
Firefighters said the blaze began when one car inside the garage caught fire at approximately 3 p.m. Officials did not say exactly how that car ignited, but the rapidly-spreading blaze was a challenge for first responders.
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“Our guys made an aggressive attack to put out the fire, but the fire [had gotten] into the roof,” said Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner Donald Walker.
Walker said the fire's spread forced firefighters to take a defensive position, focusing on preventing the blaze from spreading to the condos that surround the garage on three sides.
Firefighters did succeed, limiting the blaze to the single-level garage, which borders Ashland.
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Incredibly, no one was injured in the fire, but its ferocity stunned neighbors.
“There are slats -- openings on the side of the garage -- around the perimeter so flames were spewing out of that,” said Piper Hawkins-Green, who has lived at the complex for years.
Hawkins-Green’s car was spared, as it was being serviced when the fire broke out. Her mother’s car, however, was parked in the garage.
“I’m not worried about the cars,” Hawkins-Green said. “I’m moreso worried about the units and the owners, our neighbors.”
It was unclear how many cars were in the garage during the fire, but Walker said all were expected to be destroyed. Multiple neighbors said the garage holds about 40 cars, and estimated about two dozen were inside at the time of the fire.
“This is crazy,” said resident Isabel Morales. “My car could have been there if [it was a few minutes later]. I was picking up my son from school and we just decided to drive to target to pick up Pokemon cards.”
Morales said her neighbor’s car was lost in the fire, and they had to find another way to pick up their children from school.
“We’re fine, thank God.” Morales said. "All the neighbors, nobody got hurt. So at least that’s the most important thing.”
