Two firefighters dead, 14 injured in blaze at Chicago building

Two firefighters dead, 14 injured in blaze at Chicago building

2010-12-23 11:02:08 GMT+7 (ICT)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (BNO NEWS) -- A blaze broke out at an abandoned building in Chicago on early Wednesday morning, killing two firefighters and injuring fourteen others, the Chicago Tribune reported on its website.

The extra-alarm fire began at around 6.54 a.m. local time in the abandoned one-story brick building in South Side Chicago. Firefighters responded to the call but a wall collapsed, leaving four rescuers trapped and others wounded.

Rescue workers searched for more than an hour until the trapped firefighters were found, and officials called for a third alarm response to help save the trapped workers. Firefighters were also dealing with frozen hydrants, slowing down the efforts to extinguish the fire.

Sixteen firefighters were transported by ambulance to area hospitals, where two of them passed away due to their severe injuries. Four others are said to be in a critical condition.

After the firefighters were rescued, the search operation continued as neighbors informed that homeless people used the building to sleep in. However, no other individuals beside the trapped firefighters were found in the abandoned property.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the deadly blaze.

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