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December 7, 2004

37 Injured in Chicago High-Rise Fire: No Deaths Reported

According to an Associated Press Report, a stubborn fire raged for 5 1/2 hours on the 29th floor of a historic downtown skyscraper, shooting flames from windows and sending at least 37 people to hospitals, most of them firefighters who suffered smoke inhalation.

Some injuries were serious, but no deaths were reported. There were no sprinklers on the 29th floor. More than 300 firefighters battled the blaze Monday night.

Of the 37 people injured, 22 were firefighters in moderate to serious condition with most being treated for smoke inhalation or minor injuries, officials said.

The fire comes 14 months after a 35-story county building in downtown Chicago caught fire, killing six people. A state-funded investigation concluded that the deaths could have been prevented if there had been sprinklers and unlocked stairwells, and if firefighters had searched for victims sooner and kept out smoke and heat.