Community hopes to recover after fire in Chicago's Chinatown devastates decades-old business

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It called Chinatown home for decades, but now, a longtime business in that community is left ravaged after a devastating fire this weekend.

A gate surrounds the now gutted multi-use business following a fire Saturday night. While it is now out, some new challenges remain for some nearby businesses.

The ravaging fire at the Chinatown business has now created lingering issues at Benjamin Ng's nearby pharmacy store.

"The electricity was down. They came back this morning. Down 24 hours, so a lot of inconvenience," said Ng, owner of Peace Pharmacy.

It happened one day after flames gutted Chang Ying Ginseng Hong, a Chinese herbal medicine shop just doors away. The blaze also burning through power lines.

"How are we going to talk to doctors? There's no phone. And how are we going to process these prescriptions with insurance companies if all this is not working," said Glenn Balas, who works at Peace Pharmacy.

This comes after the flames sent neighbors running outside to safety Saturday night.

"I feel the intensity of the heat. I saw the huge fire spring from the other building onto my building," neighbor Litao Tan.

Multiple fire crews responded to Wentworth near 23rd Street where they said rubbish in the back of the building was found burning when they arrived.

The flames quickly spread.

A firefighter was also cut while battling the blaze, but is expected to be okay, fire officials said.

"Very minor injury. Laceration to his shoulder. It was due to glass that fell and hit him," said District Chief Walter Schroeder, with the Chicago Fire Department.

Chang Ying Ginseng Hong has been in the neighborhood for more than 30 years.

Before that, it held decades of history.

"It was the original location of the Chinatown public library," said Alderwoman Nicole Lee, 11th Ward.

"Hopefully, they can rebuild their business," Ng said.

Besides the firefighter, there were no other injuries and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.