SOUTH LOOP — An extra-alarm fire near State and Cermak injured two firefighters, ravaged a retail strip and temporarily shut down some Green Line "L" service Wednesday morning.
The firefighters slipped on ice in the frigid, single-digit temperatures while battling the fire and were taken to area hospitals, said officer Ron Gaines, a Chicago Police spokesman.
One of the firefighters twisted his ankle on the ice and was taken to Mercy Hospital. Another firefighter hurt his back and was taken to Northwestern Hospital. Both were listed in good condition, said a spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department.
The battle to put out the blaze in the first block of East Cermak began just before 3 a.m. Full service on the Green Line was restored around 8 a.m.
Four businesses were damaged in the fire, Gaines said. Two of the damaged businesses were Shark's restaurant and Jerk Villa.
The fire halted Green Line service between Roosevelt Road and 35th Street, according to the CTA.
The CTA recommended using the No. 29 bus or the Red Line as an alternative. Shuttle buses are also available between the two stops.
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