Fire sweeps through condo building in Calumet City; three people suffer minor injuries

CALUMET CITY, Ill. (CBS) — Flames shot out of windows as a fire ripped through a residential building in Calumet City Monday night.

The fire broke out in the condo building at 200 Park Ave. in the Park of River Oaks Condos. 

As CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reported, a massive response was still active as of 10 p.m. at the building, with several dozen fire trucks on the scene and fire crews still applying water to a smoldering unit in the seven-story building.

Firefighters were also still checking units to make sure nobody was inside.

About three and a half hours earlier, the blaze was raging massively. It was quickly upgraded to a three-alarm response for additional equipment and manpower – in part because of the intensity of the flames, and also because the building is part of a massive condo association with a large group of seven-story buildings.

Kozlov spoke to one resident who got out very safely very early on when the smoke alarms started going off. She said she understands the fire might have started with somebody barbecuing in the back of 200 Park Ave.

The resident said there might have been some sort of propane flare-up or explosion, and the back of the building just ignited.

“We took the stairs down and we went to the back, and we saw the one tier just ablaze – just ablaze,” said Shaunessye Curry. “Hearts started racing because the embers from the flames were blowing. The wind was much higher than what it is now. The embers were blowing, and they actually started catching onto other units that were neighboring.”

Officials said a total of 80 people were displaced. Three people suffered minor injuries, including a firefighter, a Calumet City spokesman said.