Chicago Firefighters Battle Extra-Alarm Warehouse Fire

Dec. 23, 2024
The fire was elevated to a 3-11 alarm, which meant at least 12 engines, four trucks, two tower ladders, and approximately 125 firefighters responded.

Chicago firefighters battled an extra-alarm blaze at the Quality Truck & Trailer warehouse in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on Saturday.

According to CBS News Chicago, the fire started shortly before 6:30 p.m. in a truck and trailer repair warehouse in the 4100 block of South Oakley Avenue.

By 7:20 p.m., it had been elevated to a 3-11 alarm, which meant at least 12 fire engines, four fire trucks, two tower ladders, and approximately 125 firefighters were responding to the fire.

A Level 1 hazardous materials response also was initiated after neighbors said they heard explosions from the warehouse before firefighters arrived.

According to unconfirmed fire dispatch reports, there were, indeed, explosions inside the building after the fire started.

 

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Steven Shaw | Managing Editor, Firehouse.com

Steven Shaw is the managing editor of Firehouse.com. Shaw served as editorial director of the James H. Neal Award-winning “WTC: In Their Own Words” and “Hot Shots: Spectacular Fire Photos.” He previously served as editor-in-chief of Industrial Photography, The Commercial Image and Studio Photography and Design.