Hyde Park Fire In Condo Leaves Woman In Critical Condition

A fire in a condo building has left a woman in critical condition. Authorities say the hoarding on the second floor may have contributed to the speed of the blaze.

Fire in Condo in Hyde Park

On Tuesday, a four-story condo building located in the 5100 block of South Kenwood Avenue went up in flames early in the morning. The fire quickly moved and swallowed the back porches on the second, third, and fourth floors.

The fire department raised the fire to a 3-11 alarm, which meant it needed extra equipment and manpower to control. An estimated 250 first responders arrived at the scene, and a total of 95 pieces of fire equipment were used.

Firefighters believe that the hoarding on the second floor contributed to the severity of the fire. Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt that there was a large amount of flammable material there.

“When we encounter hoarding conditions, it makes it very difficult for us to get in,” she said. The amount of clutter also made it difficult for responders to enter the premises.

Residents Displaced, Woman Injured

The fire displaced about eight residents and left one woman in critical condition. The woman was rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center, but it remains unclear if she was the owner of the unit where the hoarding was seen.

Meanwhile, the damage to the condo building was so extreme that crews began tearing it down the very same day. Authorities are still investigating what caused the fire in the first place.

This is not the first time the fire department has responded to a fire accelerated by hoarding. According to Commissioner Nance-Holt, there have been two others with similar characteristics.

With hoarding posing huge fire safety issues, condo associations and homeowners associations alike must do more to educate residents about its dangers.