Ravenswood house fire sends man to hospital, Chicago fire officials say
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man was taken to the hospital after a fire on Chicago's North Side Thursday evening.
Chicago fire crews battled a house fire in the 5100 block of North Oakley Avenue around 5:30 p.m. Massive flames and a substantial amount of smoke taking over several blocks in Ravenswood.
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Flames could be seen shooting through the home's roof and heavy smoke was visible at one point.
The fire was out before 6 p.m., CFD said.
The man was taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital in an unknown condition, Chicago fire officials on the scene said. The fire department told ABC7 he was trapped in the attic of the home.
ABC7 saw family members of that individual visibly shaken and emotional as crews put the fire out.
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The fire spread quickly in the two-story apartment duplex.
"Truck 47 arrived on scene to find a tremendous amount of fire in the second floor," CFD Deputy District Chief Kelly Burns said. "The alarm office was notified someone was trapped in the attic of the apartment."
Firefighters were able to get the man out of the home and immediately rendered aid in the backyard. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries as the rest of the family safely evacuated.
They were too shaken to speak to ABC7 on camera Thursday night, but neighbors quickly rushed in to offer their help to the family.
"We were just chilling and all of a sudden we see smoke and started covering our faces because it was hard to breathe," neighbor Henry Mason said.
Firefighters also faced some problems with how close the homes are to each other on the block of North Oakley Avenue.
"Anytime the houses are that close together with that volume of fire, you really have a major concern of fire extension," Burns said.
Two families are now displaced from the home.
No firefighters were injured.
It was not immediately clear how the fire started.
