1 Dead, 26 Displaced After Fire In Lawndale Tears Through Abandoned Building
By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 17, 2017 3:12PM
Chicago Fire Department / Twitter
A man was found dead after a fire tore through an abandoned building in Lawndale early on Thursday morning. One person was rescued from the blaze and more than two dozen people were displaced.
The man's body was discovered at around 3 a.m. in the rear of a building in the 1800 block of South Drake Avenue, according to police and the Chicago Fire Department.
Fifteen adults and 11 children were displaced as the fire also affected nearby homes. Smoke detectors were not heard in either of the adjacent buildings, which were occupied, according to the fire department.
A witness described the fire as "quick-spreading" to the Tribune and said it spread to other buildings from the back porches.
Police said a death investigation is underway for the victim.
1822 south drake fatal fire one adult male in rear of abandoned building. Two occupied buildings also affected. About a dozen displacements pic.twitter.com/GCQvfC4oOH
— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) August 17, 2017
15 adults 11 children displaced on drake. One rescue and one fatal, adult male No smoke detectors heard in either occupied building.
— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) August 17, 2017
House fire near Drake/Ogden. #ChicagoScanner pic.twitter.com/iCbfKdPQU9
— Elvia Malagon (@ElviaMalagon) August 17, 2017