CHICAGO — What started as a small gasoline fire quickly ripped through an East Garfield Park building Saturday night — destroying a pair of businesses as it went.
The blaze began around 7 p.m. when spilled gasoline ignited with a broken light that sparked on the floor of a mechanic shop in the 3200 block of West Harrison Street, fire officials said.
By 8 p.m., the back wall of the brick building had collapsed and firefighters were expecting "total structure failure," according to the Fire Department's Twitter account.
A Level 1 hazardous materials response was called for "gasoline and natural gas burning," fire officials said. The blaze was extinguished by 10:05 p.m.
At least two businesses were destroyed: Mr. Clean A1 Detail, the car wash and mechanic shop where the fire originated at 3249 W. Harrison St.; and Heavenly Visions, a hair salon and barber shop at 3251 W. Harrison St.
Authorities were still investigating Sunday morning, said Commander Will Knight, a fire department spokesman.
