Fireworks sparked fire damaging homes, garages near Midway, CFD says
CFD, CPD officials reacted to criticism Wednesday after Clearing fire sparked by fireworks
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Several homes were damaged and garages destroyed by a fire started by fireworks near Midway Airport Wednesday morning, the Chicago Fire Department said.
The fire occurred near 64th Place and Menard Avenue in the Clearing neighborhood, just blocks from Midway Airport, about 1 a.m.
Fire investigators were quickly able to determine that the fire was caused by fireworks. Remarkably, no one was hurt.
"I stepped on that property myself. I live a couple of blocks from that property in Clearing and there was evidence of fireworks throughout the entire neighborhood," said Ryan Rivera, CFD's commanding fire marshal.
Two garages burned to the ground out of six touched by flames. Six homes were also damaged.
The siding on several homes was torched and plastic garbage bins in an alley melted down.
Surveillance video showed the fire get started and then rage out of control.
"It was amazing," neighbor John Severns said. "It was small at first, and then it just blew up."
The Chicago Fire Department said investigators determined the fire was started by fireworks.
"Our garage is gone, everything inside our garage, the neighbor's garage also, everything," Celia Flores said.
Flores barely got any sleep. Neighbors banged on her door as her garage went up in flames.
A neighbor shared cell phone video of the fire raging and growing.
A charred basketball hoop is one of the few recognizable items left.
As it started to spread, Flores was able to get out with her three children. Part of her home was also damaged by fire.
"It was scary," Flores said. "I just saw flames and then the police and the fire department coming out and it was just scary cause we didn't know what was going on."
Raul Piña's home security cameras captured some of the fire.
"I looked at my neighbors' garages, and saw they were on fire. I grabbed my hose and tried to keep the flames at bay as much as I could," said Piña in Spanish, "but there was too much fire."
Neighbors said they heard fireworks all day and night as the neighborhood celebrated the Fourth of July.
Daniel Gerena didn't want to go outside.
"I was in my room," Gerena said. "I heard the fireworks and didn't even come out yesterday. All I know is that they were loud and then this happened."
Firefighters came back to the scene to put out a small hotspot. ComEd worked on damaged power lines.
Flores' anger is outweighed by her relief that her family is safe and her home spared.
"I don't know what to feel," Flores said. "I'm just glad nobody was hurt and everybody's family is OK."
Firefighters said they were chasing calls for small fires sparked by fireworks all night, but nothing even close to this scale.
Meanwhile, fire investigators are turning all of their information over to the Chicago Police Department. It's unclear if there will be a criminal investigation.
The fire was, according to CFD one of at least eight fireworks-related fires they responded to as 911 dispatchers fielded nearly 2,000 fireworks-related calls.
Interim Chicago Police Superintendent Fred Waller responded to criticism Wednesday that the department failed to crack down on even the most blatant displays of illegal fireworks along the city's lakefront.
"Not to say that those calls aren't important, we do respond to them, but we have to do priorities. Because if you say fireworks as opposed to someone with a gun, a man with a gun or someone battering someone, those types of calls are going to take priority over the fireworks," he said.
Officials said that while they will never be able to prevent every fireworks-related incident, cracking down on illegal fireworks starts with cracking down on their sale, pointing to their efforts to stop bills currently pending in Springfield that would legalize certain types of fireworks in Illinois.
