Fireworks Blamed For Extra-alarm Fire That Wounded A Woman In Pilsen
Children playing with fireworks caused a fire that damaged three buildings in the Pilsen neighborhood late Monday and sent an elderly woman to hospital.
Firefighters said the children started the fire on the back porch of a building in the 1300 block of W. 18 and extending eastward in both buildings.
An adjacent structure was the most damaged of the three brick buildings, which had shops on the first floor and apartments above.
"Before the fire trucks arrived, the back porch was completely in flames," said Estela Balderas, who lives in the neighborhood.
"People came out from the facade of the building, the flames came out of the roof, the roof is gone," he said.
A woman aged 80 was taken in good condition just at the University of Illinois Medical Center in smoke inhalation.
Rodolfo Alvarez, owner of the building where the fire started, was looking through the two water-damaged apartment in the back and wonder how fast he could reopen his hardware store on the first floor.
"This is my way of life, all I know," he said. "I've been here for 30 years."
As he spoke, bursts of fireworks echoed through the streets.
"I think the fireworks are a threat," he said. "In fact, last night, my grandchildren have asked me to get them to buy fireworks.
"I said, 'Oh, no, it's a danger. We are capable of causing a fire." And, behold, here is my place. "
Participation, the Sun-Times Media
