CHICAGO (CBS) — At least eight individuals have been injured in an condominium building explosion Tuesday morning in the South Austin neighborhood.
A Chicago Fire Department spokesperson confirmed there was an explosion round 9 a.m. in a four-story condominium building at 5601 W. West End Ave.
A complete of 10 ambulances have been despatched to the scene, and at least eight individuals have been transported to hospitals. Two victims, a male and a feminine, have been taken to Loyola University Medical Center. Three victims, two males and a feminine, have been taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. One feminine was taken to West Suburban Medical Center. Two males have been taken to Stroger Hospital. Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt stated three victims have been in severe to important situation, with probably the most critically injured affected person struggling “very traumatic burn injuries,” and being handled on the burn unit at Loyola.
Deputy Fire Commissioner Marc Ferman stated one of many individuals who was injured was in a building throughout the road on the time.
CBS 2’s Steven Graves spoke to the mom of a sufferer who was contained in the building and at first, she did not know concerning the incident till his aunt known as her with particulars. She says her son is OK.
Anthonella Wims, who was launched from Mount Sinai Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, stated she was ready at a bus cease throughout the road from the building when the explosion occurred.
“So everything that blew up, it came to me first,” she stated. “Glass, just everything. Everything on the top building just blew.”
Wims stated, at first, she thought it was a terrorist assault.
“It just blew up out of nowhere. Everybody’s having a regular, normal morning, and it just blew up,” she stated.
She stated she noticed one other man get blown throughout the road after strolling as much as the door of the building simply because the explosion occurred.
Wims stated she did not odor any gasoline earlier than the explosion. She stated she nonetheless has a nasty headache and physique aches, and cuts and scrapes from flying glass and particles. She additionally has a gash on her head.
The Fire Department needed to deliver in crews to shore up the building throughout a search of the building. A Fire Department spokesman stated a ultimate search of the building was accomplished, and everybody has gotten out of the building.
Chicago Fire Department video posted on Twitter exhibits a considerable amount of particles on the road outdoors the building. Chopper 2 additionally noticed particles on the roof of a building throughout the road.
One neighbor, Shannon Nelson, stated she was mendacity in bed when she heard the explosion.
“My bed shook almost like an earthquake,” Nelson stated.
CBS 2’s Steven Graves spoke to Donell Adams who was simply launched from the hospital. He stated he was approaching the entrance door when a blast pushed him again, he estimates, about eight toes.
CBS 2’s Kris Habermehl reported the particles sample from the explosion has all of the patterns of a pure gasoline explosion, and Nelson stated smelled pure gasoline in the air after the explosion.
However, a Peoples Gas spokesperson stated the reason for the explosion stays unknown, and “there is no reason at this point to believe the cause is related to gas or any of our equipment.”
Ferman stated the official reason for the explosion stays below investigation. Peoples Gas has shut off pure gasoline service to the building.
According to the Fire Department, each the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Chicago Police Department Bomb Unit have been on the scene to help with the response and investigation.
The explosion occurred on the highest ground of the building on the japanese aspect of the construction, sending a considerable amount of bricks and different particles into the road, damaging at least three vehicles parked alongside the curb.
CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey spoke with the building proprietor, who says he spoke with an investigator who instructed him it is probably not a gasoline explosion.
The roof of at least one unit in the building collapsed on account of the explosion, and a number of other home windows in the building additionally have been blown out.
In a press release, Mayor Lori Lightfoot stated her ideas are with the individuals who have been injured and displaced by the explosion.
“We must also thank the brave men and women of the Chicago Fire Department who are working to abate the dangerous conditions,” she stated.
A complete of 135 firefighters and paramedics responded to the scene.
The Chicago Department of Buildings additionally has responded to the scene.
Building inspection data present the building has failed its final 12 inspections since 2010, together with citations in January 2017 and February 2018 for “failing to repair or replace defective or out of service smoke detectors and operate continuously.”
The building’s proprietor instructed CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey that one of many lead investigators has instructed him the explosion just isn’t gas-related. He stated he is owned the building for 20 years, and 31 of the 35 residences have been occupied on the time of the blast.
The building proprietor additionally acknowledged a previous of building code violations, however stated not one of the points have been main structural issues with the building. He stated the latest drawback was an situation with the stairway railings in the building. He stated an inspector checked all of the building’s smoke detectors one week in the past, and made positive any unhealthy batteries have been changed.
In a press release, building proprietor Roman Viere stated, “This is a devastating event and we are heartbroken for all of our residents.”
“Our first concern is the health, well-being and safety of our residents. We are doing everything we can to cooperate with emergency services, and we are ready to do whatever we can to support our residents,” Viere added.
Ferman stated it is unclear precisely how many individuals have been left homeless. CBS 2’s Marybel Gozalez spoke to a Red Cross consultant about how the group helps individuals displaced by the incident.