1 Dead, 2 Injured In South Side High-Rise Fire
UPDATED 02/04/11 9:29 a.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- One person was killed and two others were injured Thursday morning at a seniors' public housing high-rise on the city's South Side.
The fire started at about 10:25 a.m. on the third floor of a 14-story Chicago Housing Authority high-rise for seniors at 4250 S. Princeton Av.
An EMS Plan I was also called, which automatically sends five ambulances to the scene. The fire was later upgraded to a 2-11 alarm, which sends more fire personnel.
Crews found a woman who during a primary search of the building, said Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford. She suffered burns and was dead on the scene on a bed in a bedroom of inside the apartment where the fire started.
The woman was identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's office as Cozzella Jordan, 63, who lived in the building.
Fire Media Affairs spokesman Richard Rosado said another woman who suffered smoke inhalation was taken in fair condition to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, and a firefighter who twisted his knee was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
The blaze was contained to the bedroom and was under control at 10:55 a.m. Another person who stays in the unit where the fire started was accounted for and was not hurt, according to Langford.
Rosado said there were smoke detectors but he did not know if they were working.
"It's under investigation whether the fire alarm system was working properly,'' Langford said.
Langford said it was not immediately known what caused the fire, but said it did not appear suspicious.
"A preliminary cause could be careless use of smoking materials," Langford said.
CHA spokesman Matt Aguilar said the Riperton building houses seniors. He did not have information immediately on the fire.
CBS 2's Kris Habermehl said the extra alarm was likely called for the high and dense occupancy in the high-rise building, and for the frigid and snowy weather conditions.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
