Two Elderly Women Hospitalized After River North Fire

By Anna Deem in News on Aug 1, 2010 6:30PM

An extra-alarm electrical fire early Sunday morning at Jenkins Hall--a 200-unit River North high-rise building that houses disabled and elderly patients, in addition to college students--left two elderly women hospitalized, hundreds on the streets, and many others with physical injuries. Emergency crews responded around 12:15 a.m. to the 14-story building at 171 W. Oak St., Fire Media Affairs Chief Kevin MacGregor told the Chicago Sun-Times. With at least 18 fire trucks and 120 firefighters and paramedics at the scene, the fire was extinguished by 1:50 a.m., MacGregor said. Early reports have revealed that the fire might have began inside several electrical vaults.

An 80-year-old woman and an 85-year-old, both suffering from shortness of breath, were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition. As of 2:15 a.m., no other injuries were reported. Residents were told to wait inside the Moody Bible Institute gym across the street. Traffic was also rerouted, police News Affair Officer Ronald Gaines said to the Sun-Times.