Christmas Day Fire Burns an Apartment Building and House, Injures 3, Displaces 12 at State St and 104th Pl, Chicago

Chicago firefighters responded just before 6:24 a.m. Monday December 25, 2017 to a report of a house fire at 10432 South State Street at the intersection with 104th Place. Firefighters from Engine 93’s crew arrived to find flames already showing. By 6:24 a.m. a resident with a medical problem aggravated by the smoke was discovered near the front of the building, and a paramedic crew just arriving was assigned to move up to the front of the building.

Also when firefighters arrived on the scene, they discovered frozen fire hydrants with fire spreading from one building to another.

Air temperature at the time of the fire was 14°F with a wind chill as low as -1°F, according to National Weather Service observations at O’Hare International Airport. Winds were as high as 14 MPH, gusting to 22 MPH.

Firefighters fought fire defensively in a one-and-a-half story house and a two-and-a-half story apartment house frame building. The fire fully-involved the roof of the two-and-a-half story building.

Fire crews immediately upgraded the fire to a Still and Box at 6:27 a.m. and a 2-11 Alarm at 6:33 a.m.

“We ran into three frozen hydrants due to the weather,” according to Chicago Fire District Chief of Special Operations Tim Walsh. One of the frozen fire hydrants can be seen sitting open in the video below.

Firefighters were able to access a secure water supply further down the block on both sides, and down the next block; but the initial delay of a water supply helped the fire spread.

Ironically, the winter weather was also helping firefighters as the West wind at 14 MPH with 22 MPH gusts was blowing flames toward open air over State Street, instead of toward a neighboring house. The one-and-a-half story house directly to the south was still damaged by spreading fire, however.

The 2-11 Alarm fire was Struck Out at about 7:04 a.m. on orders of Special Operations Division Assistant Deputy Commissioner Tim Walsh (Radio #2-1-9).

Twelve adults were displaced by the fire. A total of three people were injured. One person was transported to a hospital in good condition. Two others refused transportation by paramedics.

The American Red Cross is assisting the families displaced by the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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