The fire in the city's South Shore neighborhood near 71st and Jeffery spread and ended up injuring six people, including a child.
Just after 10:30 Wednesday night residents of a four-story South Shore apartment building got word their building was on fire.
"I just heard a lot of knocking on the door and when I got up I come to the hallway and everybody running out of the building saying there was a fire," said resident Christian Thompson.
The fire initially began in an apartment on the top floor.
Police say an injured man told them his girlfriend started it. She lit his couch on fire after the two got into an argument.
"It was contained to one apartment although it did break out of that apartment into the hallway which made things a little bit more difficult for our personnel," said Battalion Chief Kenneth Wojtecki.
Residents were forced out onto the street as the flames quickly spread out into the hallway.
Firefighters had to rescue several people from the upper floors.
"All I heard was a lady say, 'help, help,' and I kept looking and said, 'Let me see what's going on.' They say, 'fire,' and that it," said resident Sharon Scott.
Sammie Jones Jr. lives below the apartment where the fire started. His unit suffered severe water damage.
He says he not surprised by the news Thursday. He's heard the couple arguing several times in the past.
Sammie jones jr./resident "Fussing, arguing, like they're tussling or something like that," Jones said.
Some of the injured were taken to Jackson Park Hospital.
No one was seriously hurt.
Charges are pending against the 27-year-old woman.
