MORGAN PARK — The 115th Street Metra Depot was damaged in a Sunday afternoon fire.
According to WGN, Metra expects to have to tear down the station in the wake of the fire that started around 4:30 p.m. and that is believed to have been caused by a lit cigarette being tossed into a nearby garbage can. Trains were briefly delayed while the Chicago Fire Department extinguished the blaze.
A five-month renovation project of the station's outdoor platforms began May 8, according to Metra.
The station at 1982 W. 115th St. opened in 1892 and was deemed a historic landmark in 1995 along with the Metra stations along the same line at 91st, 95th, 99th, 107th and 111th streets, according to a report.
Erik Tait of Morgan Park uses the Metra station where the fire occurred for his daily commute and said riders often relied the depot building to stay warm in the winter months.
"It is a shame that the station was in the process of being improved by the repaving of the platforms. The exterior of the station was improved a couple of years ago," Tait said.
The Metra depot at 1982 W. 115th St. was destroyed Sunday by fire. The station was deemed a historic landmark in 1995. [DNAinfo/Howard A. Ludwig]
115th St @Metra Depot Burns In Sun Afternoon Fire @metraRID https://t.co/xhZToVmBDo pic.twitter.com/ScFANkGeTB
— Howard A. Ludwig (@howardaludwig) May 28, 2017
The Morgan Park Metra Station, 1982 W. 115th Street, opened 125 years ago in 1892. This afternoon it suffered severe damage in a fire. pic.twitter.com/FSAOMqT3LH
— Matthew J. O'Shea (@mattoshea19) May 28, 2017
