Harvey fire at City Sports building under investigation

HARVEY, Ill. (WLS) -- Investigators are working to determine the cause of a devastating fire in south suburban Harvey.

Flames ripped through a building near East 154th Street and Broadway Avenue Thursday evening. The fire was still smoldering Friday morning.

Firefighters responded to the blaze around 5 p.m. Thursday. Thick plumes of smoke could be seen for miles. Several departments assisted Harvey firefighters, including the Chicago Fire Department.

"Before we could get the foam down there, the front of the building lit off. We had to pull everybody out because of the collapse zones," Fire Captain Steve Gorman said.

Harvey spokesperson Sean Howard said the fire started in the basement, but what sparked the flames is still under investigation.

The fire burned for hours, causing the building to collapse. It is a total loss.

The 74-year-old structure, which recently went up for sale, housed a sporting goods store, three other businesses and apartments on the second floor. Everyone inside made it out safely.