Lakeview fire out at apartment building on Wellington, no injuries reported, CFD says

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago Fire Department battled a large apartment fire in the city's Lakeview neighborhood Tuesday evening.

CFD officials said the fire started shortly before 5:15 p.m. in the rear-porches of a three-story residential building on Wellington near Broadway.

Flames could be seen shooting out of windows, through the roof and out of the porch. The fire was struck out around 5:35 p.m.

"We were playing Lego and I heard an explosion and flames came out. Obviously grabbed the kids and ran out the door," said Angela Woodall, who lives in the building.

Woodall scooped up her toddlers and they fled with just the clothes on their backs.

"We came out here and my little daughter didn't have her trousers on and they wrapped her up and got her all warm," Woodall said, clearly shaken. "I mean, I have two little ones, four and two. We just moved here. Haven't even been here a month yet so it's... yeah."

Adam Horness, his wife and their 4-year-old caught a glimpse of the flames up close before they bolted.

"We actually live in that unit where you see the flames there and we were inside the kitchen at that point, and there's nothing in our unit," he said. "It was not coming from inside our unit."

CFD said crews attacked the fire from both outside and inside the building, to protect the building writ large and other units from being damaged. Crews doused the back third story porch area with hundreds of gallons of water, while others searched the building for any people or pets.

"This is the neighbor's cat," Hornnes said. "The firefighters just came out and gave it to me."

Fire officials said no injuries were reported.

The fire burned hot and fast for less than an hour. Chicago fire officials have not said how many people were displaced.