3 Firefighters Injured, Wall Collapsed in Extra-Alarm Irving Park Fire

IRVING PARK — The front wall of a retail complex at 3534 W. Irving Park Road crumbled to the ground and three firefighters were injured as they battled an extra-alarm fire Friday afternoon, engulfing the area in thick plumes of smoke.

While the fire was extinguished at 4:20 p.m., road closures created traffic backups as far as a mile away as rush hour hit Friday evening. Fire officials said that salvage and overhaul would be ongoing.

Fire crews were called to the scene around 12:30 p.m. for the blaze which started at the laundromat in the shopping mall, according to Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner Mark Nielson, who spoke with media at 4 p.m. as firefighters continued to battle the blaze.

At some point, there was a small explosion and a big boom that "surprised all of us," Nielson said, and three firefighters standing outside the building suffered minor burns.

They were "walking around and joking," Nielson assured reporters, and were taken to a hospital for treatment.

The fire "quickly escalated," spreading to five or six other businesses to the east, Nielson said, though crews stopped the fire from spreading westward. Three other businesses toward the west suffered smoke damage, including the Independence Public Library.

Looks like the roof caved in pic.twitter.com/wgKMUbIc3g

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) October 30, 2015

The complex includes Drake Quick Mart, a Black Tie Formal Wear franchise and a laundromat, where witnesses said they suspect the fire started. Irving Park Avenue is closed between Elston and Kimball, with traffic backed up west of the intersection toward the expressway.

The owner of Irving Plaza Cleaners, Jesse Espino, told DNAinfo Chicago, "Around 12:20 [p.m.] my store manager saw some smoke coming out of the boiler room, so I went up on the roof and tried to pour a bucket of water on it. By that time I realized it already spread, so I called the Fire Department. They got here really fast."

"I don't really care about the damage at this point. What are you gonna do? I'm just glad everyone's ok, that's what's important," Espino said.

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) was at the scene, pledging to help the businesses affected by the fire rebuild. "It breaks my heart to see this happen to them," he said of the family-owned stores.

^{[Video via Scott Rojo]}

Christopher Chatman, an inventory worker at Drake Quick Mart, said shortly after the firefighters arrived around 1 p.m., employees were told to evacuate due to the fire's spread.

"I don't know how much damage there is, but I don't think anyone was hurt," he said.

Scott Rojo, who works at Mario's Barber Shop nearby at 4005 N. Elston Ave., said he got to work around 1 p.m. when he saw the fire and captured it on film. "[Mario's] is far enough it won't get damaged," he said, "but I'm worried about that [Chicago Public] library two doors down. If those books catch, that's it."

Around 3 p.m., the wind was coming from the west and blowing smoke east, away from the library. Six firefighters donned masks to approach the building around that time, and the Chicago Fire Department declared it a Level 1 Haz Mat (hazardous materials) situation because of the chemicals inside the dry cleaners.

Fire officials did not enter the buildings due to the "bow string trusses" in the burning building, Nielson said. He said that type of building is "like a lumberyard above our heads," adding that they are "notorious for killing firefighters." Six or seven hoses remained aimed at the fire around 4 p.m. Friday afternoon. 

Facade of the cleaners has totally melted off...most of the smoke is now coming from Black Tie Formal Wear pic.twitter.com/PMlEjWhc6L

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) October 30, 2015

Traffic is waay backed up on Irving Park west of Kimball. Steer clear, folks. pic.twitter.com/XuNLO6BhI5

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) October 30, 2015

This is no longer a job for humans pic.twitter.com/N5yqE5Tk63

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) October 30, 2015

Smoke seeping from every opening at Drake's. Looks like it'll see serious damage before this is over. pic.twitter.com/5FENdO3CWJ

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) October 30, 2015

Plume of smoke is now MASSIVE. Heavy onslaught of hoses doesn't seem to be abating it. pic.twitter.com/mJNG5dU6lJ

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) October 30, 2015

Irving Park is closed between Elston and Kimball due to a fire pic.twitter.com/eLOIALmHjA

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) October 30, 2015

Retail complex at 3534 W Irving Park behind shroud of smoke. Includes Drake Quick Mart & Black Tie Formal Wear. pic.twitter.com/vyMQ40pKam

— Alex Nitkin (@AlexNitkin) October 30, 2015

Crews were still fighting the flames as of 3 p.m., and the Chicago Fire Department was not available for further comment.

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