Fire Destroys 123-Year-Old Home On Armitage Avenue
UPDATED 09/16/11 2:01 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A home dating from 1888 collapsed in an extra-alarm fire Friday afternoon, on trendy Armitage Avenue in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
The fire was reported in three-story brick home at 525 W. Armitage Ave., on the southeast corner of the intersection with Mohawk Street.
A still-and-box alarm was initially called for the fire at 12:50 p.m, but it was later upgraded to a 2-11 alarm, according to the Fire Department. Firefighters used four master hose lines and four hand lines to fight the blaze.
By 1:55 p.m., the building had collapsed.
Fire officials said the home was vacant.
A real estate listing from the firm Sperry van Ness indicated that the building dates from 1888. It features vintage decorative architectural elements that are seen along much of the Lincoln Park stretch of Armitage Avenue.
City records say in December, the owner of the home had a case before the to the Zoning Board of Appeal, and sought to convert the building from a four-unit residence into a single-family home, and planned to construct a new stairway enclosure and front covered porch.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
