Building explosion in Chicago, 9-20-22
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From CBSNews.com:
Early Tuesday morning, an explosion rocked a four-story apartment building located at 5601 W. West End Avenue in the South Austin neighborhood, injuring eight individuals. The incident occurred around 9 a.m., prompting a swift response from emergency services.
Firefighters arrived on the scene shortly after the blast and called in ten ambulances to transport those affected to nearby hospitals. Among the injured, two men and a woman were rushed to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, while another two males and a female were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. A single female victim was admitted to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, and two more males were transferred to Stroger Hospital of Cook County. Interestingly, one of the casualties was not inside the building but was instead across the street when the explosion occurred.
The fire department immediately began stabilizing the damaged structure to facilitate a thorough search, which confirmed that all residents had safely evacuated before the incident. A representative from Peoples Gas stated that the exact cause of the explosion remains undetermined, emphasizing that there is currently no evidence linking it to their equipment or any gas-related issues.
Authorities from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as well as the Chicago Police Department Bomb Unit were dispatched to assist in both the response efforts and the ongoing investigation.
The explosion originated on the top floor of the building's eastern side, causing significant structural damage. Bricks and debris were scattered across the street, damaging multiple vehicles parked along the curb. The roof of at least one unit collapsed, and several windows throughout the building were shattered.
According to building inspection records, the property has a long history of failing inspections, with the most recent violations dating back to 2020. These included critical safety issues such as malfunctioning smoke detectors and improperly connected gas appliances. Following an administrative hearing in early 2020, inspectors found that all cited violations had been rectified. However, the recent explosion raises questions about whether these fixes were fully effective.
As I'm writing this, you can see the aftermath of the explosion in this exclusive footage shared by a local resident. [Video plays here showing the damaged building and surrounding area.]
Special thanks to Martin for sharing this important video with us. Stay tuned for further updates as we continue to follow this developing story.