CHICAGO — A fire tore through a South Side apartment building Sunday morning, displacing several families.
Neighbors evacuated as flames ripped through a multi-family home on South Wood at West 47th Street in the Back of the Yards.
Jadie Escoto told WGN News her family was sleeping when the fire broke out.
“Then our neighbor knocked on our door and told us there was a fire,” Escoto said.
Escoto told WGN News she grew worried as her friend lived in the building that caught ablaze.
The Escoto family evacuated their own home and captured video of the rager.
“Our parents told us to get changed and put on our jackets and everything,” Escoto said.
The Chicago Fire Department says crews encountered various issues with extinguishing the blaze. Firefighters had to deal with frozen hydrants and a roof collapse.
Once crews left the scene, neighbors canvassed the scene of destruction for themselves. One man told WGN News he lost everything – including four pets.
While saddened, Escoto says she is just thankful her classmate – and the rest of her neighbors are OK.
“It was scary knowing that my friend lived in there,” she said.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
