Tow truck slams into building in Chatham

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A tow truck struck a building in the Chicago's Chatham neighborhood. A witness said the driver may have been racing another tow truck driver to reach a nearby crash.

Thomas Walsh, a videographer who shoots breaking news for a living, was heading to get video of a minor crash near East 87th Street and South Martin Luther King Drive overnight.

He was stopped at a red light with his dashboard camera when he saw one tow truck driver blow the light. He said he saw a second tow truck came racing by, traveling at what he estimates to be about 60-70 miles per hour.

"As soon as he passed me, I knew right then and there that there's no way he's stopping cleanly. He's either going to screech, he's going to swerve or something. A couple seconds later, that's when he completely lost control of his car and slammed into the building," Walsh said.

That truck slammed into a building near 87th and South Calumet Avenue. Then a small fire started. Walsh jumped out of his own car to help put it out.

The tow truck driver suffered minor injuries. A witness said there was a pedestrian walking by at the time of the crash. That person was nearly hit.

Police don't believe alcohol was involved, but they did issue a citation.