Patio collapses into sinkhole in West Town

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago firefighters evacuated a coach house and four-story building in West Town after a patio collapsed into a 10-foot deep sinkhole early Friday morning.

The Department of Buildings says it is now working with the building owners who, officials said, are taking full responsibility and control of the situation. Tenants are being relocated as crews evaluate the patio.

Tenants said the collapse at 1 a.m. Friday at 1421 West Chicago Avenue sounded like a bomb. An entire concrete section between the main building and a coach house fell 10 feet into a what the landlord described as an unused, old, underground walkway. Patio furniture and air conditioning units also fell into the sinkhole, which measures 20 feet wide and 20 feet long.

No one was on the patio when it collapsed and no one was injured in the incident. Firefighters had to evacuate three people from the coach house since the patio was their only entrance. Fire crews broke through the back of the carriage house to do that.

A sushi restaurant occupies the first floor of the building, and six units are above. Chicago Fire Department officials said the rear exits and fire escapes are unusable due to the collapse.

"I'm just worried that the foundation isn't stable," said Alexandra Shoemaker, a tenant of the apartment building who has chosen to stay with her boyfriend until the building is cleared for safety. "I don't want to be in there if the whole building collapses, so I'd rather just be safe than sorry."

Melisa Rutkelis lives in a neighboring building.

"I mean it's huge, 10 feet big," she said. "I mean, you see straight down and it looks like an earthquake."