Four adults were rushed to hospitals in critical condition early Thursday after a fire broke out inside a Rogers Park townhome before dawn, according to the Chicago Fire Department. The blaze was reported at about 4:14 a.m. and was contained to a single unit within a four-unit building.
As reported by ABC7 Chicago, the fire broke out in a townhome in the 7000-block of North Paulina Avenue. CBS News, however, reported that the fire started in the 7000 block of North Paulina Street just before 4:15 a.m., according to the CBS News Chicago report — the two outlets differ on the exact street designation for the block.
Four Victims Taken to Hospitals
All four adults pulled from the scene were transported to local hospitals in critical condition, per the fire department's account relayed in the CBS News report. The station notes that firefighters managed to keep the flames confined to just one of the building's four units, limiting the damage to the rest of the structure. No further details on the victims' identities or current conditions have been released.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the fire department said, and the article notes that no additional information has yet been made public about what sparked the blaze.
A Painful Echo in Rogers Park
Thursday's fire comes months after another Rogers Park blaze turned deadly. A March apartment fire in the neighborhood killed 32-year-old firefighter Michael Altman, who died from injuries suffered while battling the flames, according to Block Club Chicago. Prosecutors later charged 27-year-old Sheaves Slate with murder and arson in connection with that fire, and he was ordered held in custody, the outlet reported.
There is no indication that Thursday's fire is connected to the March incident. CBS News Chicago said it plans to provide further updates as the investigation into the predawn blaze continues.
