Bridgeport, Chinatown & McKinley Park
Crime & Mayhem

Bridgeport Warehouse Fire Reignites, Crews Could Be On Scene For Days

By Geoff Ziezulewicz and Emily Morris on January 24, 2013 6:42am

 
Slideshow

BRIDGEPORT — Less than two days after a fire raged in a vacant Bridgeport warehouse — a blaze officials said was the city's largest in about eight years — the building again caught fire.

Personnel were called back to the scene at 38th Street and South Ashland Avenue after what officials described as a rekindling of the flames Thursday morning.

In frigid temperatures, fire trucks blasted water as yellowish-gray smoke billowed into the morning air. Large clouds of smoke could be seen from about half-mile away.

The Chicago Fire Department also brought out its old but trusty deluge unit. The "vintage" item, made in 1969 or 1970, is rarely used but still works to put out fires, the department's media office said.

The trucks blasted 2,500 gallons of icy water per minute, firefighters said. In using what firefighters called "water carnival" and "surround and drown" methods, they doused all sides of the warehouse.

Crews had been onsite all night watching hot spots, one firefighter said. All five floors of the warehouse have collapsed, resulting in large amounts of rubble that are difficult to extinguish, he said. In a Thursday morning tweet, the Fire Department said crews likely will be on the scene for days.

The building, largely made of wood, burned easily and will likely need to be torn down, the firefighter said.

A few other emergency vehicles surrounded the area, though the number of personnel and visibility of the flames was small by comparison to the original blaze Tuesday night.

About 200 firefighters battled colossal flames at 3757 S. Ashland Ave. shortly after 9 p.m. that night. A firefighter suffered a minor injury to his back, officials said.

The cause of the fire is unknown, but officials haven't ruled out that the blaze could have been started by squatters, said Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford.

Because of all the ice and debris, "getting in there to see anything is going to be difficult," said Langford.

The department continued Wednesday dousing the building, which by then had gone from fiery inferno to ice palace.

Officials said the extra-alarm fire was the largest since the LaSalle Bank headquarters downtown caught fire on Dec. 6, 2004.
 

Related Items

Larry Langford
Bridgeport fire
Bridgeport Warehouse Fire
Chicago Fire Department
Chicago warehouse fire
Chicago Weather
warehouse fire

NEIGHBORHOOD SPONSORS

NEIGHBORHOOD SPONSORS

Top Stories

Lincoln Park »

Oklahoma Tornado Dogs Coming to Chicago in Search of Homes

A Lincoln Park PAWS teams heads to Oklahoma this weekend, and the animals will be up for adoption Monday.

Read More »

Bronzeville »

Video Catches CPS Security Guard Pushing Student Down Stairs

The incident took place at Dunbar Vocational Career Academy, CPS confirmed.

Read More »

West Englewood »

Rap Promoters Were Held for Ransom Before Double Murder, Relative Says

Authorities are investigating the deaths of two men who promoted Chief Keef, Gucci Mane and TI.

Read More »

Englewood »

Chicago's Top Cop Calls U.S. War on Drugs 'Wholesale Failure'

CPD Supt. Garry McCarthy added that focusing on "hot-people policing" has worked in Englewood, Lawndale.

Read More »

Hyde Park »

University of Chicago Pushes Out Businesses on 53rd Street

Business owners said the university was trying to break leases and move them out.

Read More »

South Loop »

South Loop Neighbors Gear Up to Fight Against Rooftop Park

Ald. Solís says he's on the fence about a plan to put the promised 2-acre park atop the British School.

Read More »

Back of the Yards »

Gang-Banger Allegedly Shoots Rival on 'a Beautiful Day to Get Smoked'

A drug deal allegedly turned fatal when the Latin Saint seller learned his buyer was a Satan Disciple.

Read More »

River North »

Jury Sides with Donald Trump in Lawsuit

An 87-year-old woman claimed in a lawsuit she was swindled when she bought two condos in Trump Tower.

Read More »

Uptown »

City: Aragon 'Progressing' in Fixing Problems, Riviera Has 'Much More Work'

Representatives from both venues were in court this week for alleged building code violations.

Read More »

Bridgeport »

Valentine Boys and Girls Club 75th Anniversary Celebrates Daley Family

Thousands of city kids, including the Daley boys, have been served by the iconic Bridgeport institution.

Read More »

Chicago »

Oops! Goose Island Beer Sold as a $12 Import at Yankee Stadium

The Bronx bombed on its designation of the Chicago brew. Now it has to change its signs.

Read More »

Lakeview »

DryHop Brewery Opening Next Month

The anticipated Lakeview brewery is expected to open for business June 13.

Read More »

Woodlawn »

Boy Made Up Woodlawn Hit-and-Run, Cops Say

Boy made up hit-and-run near South Side school, police said.

Read More »

Rogers Park »

Morseland Bar Building For Sale

Bank is selling building after former owner left thousands in unpaid taxes when the bar closed.

Read More »

Gold Coast »

Icebreaker to Open Gold Coast Location for Wool Sportswear Line

The New Zealand-based technical clothing company will open its first Midwestern location in October 2013.

Read More »

Chicago »

Chicago's Population Sees Growth for Second Year in a Row

But the increase was less than in many other big cities, new Census numbers show.

Read More »

River North »

Man Accused of Attempted Rape of Woman at Former Excalibur Building

Rocio Garza allegedly cornered the woman in a deserted part of The Castle nightclub in River North.

Read More »

Humboldt Park »

CPS Closings: Lafayette Music Teacher Hopes to Rebuild Program at Chopin

The well-respected music program has been a major point in the Lafayette Elementary closure debate.

Read More »