Five Injured After Fire At Northside College Prep High School
By John Dodge
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Five students were injured, one critically, after a fire at a North Side high school.
The incident happened at Northside College Prep at 5501 N. Kedzie shortly after 10:30 a.m.
A Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman said there was fire in a science lab. Students apparently were heating hot chocolate when the gas ignited with the flame, causing a flash fire.
Fire alarms were sounded, and students were evacuated from the school. Sprinklers were activated and the fire was quickly extinguished with no damage to the school.
The injuries were not life-threatening, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
Images from Chopper 2 HD shows several emergency vehicles on the scene and hundreds of students standing outside.
A student reached by CBS 2 said that when the fire alarms went off that most students assumed it was a fire drill, but then quickly realized there had been an explosion.
One critically injured student was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital
The three others were transported with minor injuries to Swedish Covenant. A fifth student refused treatment.
The ages of those injured, who suffered burns, were not immediately known.
Students were allowed back into the school around 11:15 a.m. They were directed to the school's gym and waited from the principal to speak to them.
