A semi-truck burst into flames off the Bishop Ford Freeway on Chicago's Far South Side on Thursday, killing one person and sending a thick column of black smoke over the Pullman neighborhood. Fire crews and police rushed to East 112th Street and Corliss Avenue after the tractor-trailer erupted in flames.
The blaze ignited at the intersection of East 112th Street and Corliss Avenue, just off the Bishop Ford Freeway (I-94). According to CBS News Chicago, one person was pronounced dead at the scene, and video on the station's site shows firefighters and police working around the burned-out rig.
Where This Happened
Pullman sits on Chicago's Far South Side and is bordered in part by the Bishop Ford Freeway, mixing residential streets with industrial corridors and freight routes. Neighborhood profiles note regular truck traffic along nearby roads, which keeps large commercial vehicles moving close to local blocks, according to City-Data.
Investigation Underway
As of Thursday evening, officials had not released the victim's identity or an official cause of the fire, and what led up to the deadly blaze remained under investigation. CBS News Chicago reported crews on scene but noted that authorities were sharing few immediate details beyond the location and the confirmed fatality.
What Comes Next
Large-vehicle fires are typically followed by detailed scene examinations from fire investigators and, when there is a death, a review by the medical examiner. Authorities are expected to release more information on the cause of the fire and the victim's identity once their work is complete. This story will be updated as officials provide further information.
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