CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Tuesday night’s strong winds challenged Chicago firefighters as they took on a house fire in Jefferson Park.
The fire broke out in a bungalow on Laramie Avenue near Foster Avenue, and it spread to two homes north of the residence.
Bill Wilson, 91, told CBS 2 that he was house-sitting for his daughter when it started.
“I was sitting in the living room, idly watching TV, and I hear this bang,” Wilson said.
He’s undergoing cancer treatments and was rattled by the explosion.
CFD upgraded the fire as flames and smoke poured out the roof. Crews even brought hoses inside one of the neighboring homes to stop it from spreading farther.
A Chicago firefighter was taken away on a stretcher, but officials said they were upright, alert and talking.
Neighbors said the smoke and flames were too intense to save a family dog, but their cat appeared later.
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