Third Chicago Skyscraper Fire in Three Weeks

For the third time in three weeks, there has been a significant fire in a Chicago residential skyscraper.

Here's a statement from Alderman Reilly's office:

On Sunday afternoon at roughly 2:00 p.m., an extra-alarm fire broke out in a condo unit located on the 28th Floor of 1455 N. Sandburg Terrace, a residential high-rise located in the Gold Coast neighborhood.  Initial reports indicate the fire broke out in Apartment #2801, with much of the fire contained to that unit.  The occupant of the apartment was rescued by an off-duty firefighter in the area who carried the resident down 28 flights of stairs to ground level and out of harm's way.

The injured resident is in her mid-fifties and is reported to have suffered from burns and smoke inhalation.  The resident was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment where her condition is listed as "serious."

The Chicago Fire Department reported that the 28th and 29th floors sustained damage during the blaze; however, the lower floors were spared what could have been extensive damage.  According to our reports, no other injuries have been reported at this time.

The fire, classified as a "2-11" alarm by the Chicago Fire Department, broke out around 2:00 pm and was extinguished by approximately 2:30 pm.   The Chicago Fire Department responded quickly and in force - dispatching 130 firefighters and paramedics to the scene of the fire.  Building residents were allowed back into the high rise by roughly 3:20 p.m.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

And here's video from WMAQ:

Aftermath of a Skyscraper Fire

Here's what it looks like at The Plaza on Dewitt (260 East Chestnut Street) a couple of days after a fire on the 36th floor of the 43-story building killed an elderly German woman.

If you click to enlarge the photo, you can see the windows have been boarded up on some of the units on the 36th and 37th floors.  Meanwhile, the streets below are clogged with an army of carpet cleaning and other disaster repair service vans.

The last I read, the fire was caused by a kitchen appliance and is being called accidental.

Second Skyscraper Fire This Month Kills A Woman

By now you've heard about the fire that broke out at the Plaza on Dewitt (260 East Chestnut Street).  Here's a picture of the aftermath from the outside:

According to the Chicago Tribune, the fire on the 36th floor of the 43-story tower killed an elderly woman who lived in the condominium where the fire broke out after midnight.  About a dozen people were hurt.

The Trib quotes people at the Chicago Fire Department as saying the flames went out the 36th floor window and up and into the unit on the 37th floor.  You can see in the photos how that might happen, especially considering how windy it was last night.

Coincidentally, a few hours before the fire, the Chicago Fire Department conducted a fire evacuation drill at another residential skyscraper just two blocks away.

Park District to Burn Lincoln Park

Bad things happen in nature.  The cute and fuzzy are eaten by the ugly and toothy.  Sometimes the cutest penguin gets left behind.  And every once in a while Mother Nature sets things on fire.

The Chicago Park District has worked hard to restore patches of the city's parks to what they used to be -- Illinois prairie.  In the hum and thrush of summer they are fascinating places to sit and watch nature at work.  But as poet Bonnie Eldred noted, "Mother Nature is a bitch."

In the natural world she occasionally takes our her frustration on the prairie in the form of a prairie fire.  It's frightening and chaotic when it's happening, but in the long run it is cleansing and cathartic for the ecosystem.  And in the District's quest to really go the extra mile in simulating a natural environment in downtown Chicago, something's gotta burn.

Those things are the recreated prairies along the edge of Lincoln Park's north pond.  The exact date for this year's burn hasn't been set, but it's expected to happen before the end of the year depending on weather conditions.

Though I love the smell of a good wood fire, I don't know what a prairie fire smells like.  I don't think the neighbors are going to be too happy with it.  But the Park Department does have an entire web page about why burning is a good thing.  You can read it here: http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/custom.natureOasis01 Unfortunately, it hasn't been updated in seven years.

Here's the summary about this year's burn from the public notice:

The Chicago Park District uses controlled burn management to help maintain native plant communities.  A controlled burn is the use of fire as a management tool in a carefully planned and controlled manner.  Controlled burn management is an efficient and economical tool that reduces the amount of pesticides that otherwise may be needed to control invasive plants. Fire helps promote species diversity by controlling invasive woody shrubs and trees.  Without fire, natural areas often become thickets of shrubs or weeds with little diversity.  Fire burns off dead vegetation and stimulates new plant growth by allowing sunlight to warm the dark soil, encouraging germination. Fire also enriches the soil by returning nutrients back to the soil.

Research shows that fire is a natural part of native Illinois ecosystems.  These landscapes need to be burned periodically in order to stay healthy and to provide habitat for native plants and animals.

All persons who conduct controlled burns are specially trained, equipped, and supervised. The fire department has been notified and all permits have been obtained to do this work.

So, Lincoln Park is officially on burn notice.  

Holy Name Cathedral Closed Until At Least August

Parishioners at Holy Name Cathedral got more bad news over the weekend.  Their beloved church will be closed, "until August at the earliest" according to pastor Dan Mayall.

The archdiocese's flagship place of worship was damaged by fire in February, almost exactly a year after it was closed for months when a chunk of woodwork fell from the ceiling.

In the weekend bulletin, Mayall explains that it has not yet been determined if insurance will cover this year's fire damage.  He explains that the parish is already struggling to come up with $4 to $8 million to pay for the 2008 roof repairs.  An exact total is still being determined as the repairs were ongoing at the time of the 2009 fire.

The incidents at Holy Name give outsiders an interesting glimpse into some of the inner workings of a Catholic parish.  Many cynics assume that a church like Holy Name merely has to ask the Vatican to write a check to fix up the building.  But those involved in parish communities know the truth is far different.

In the case of Holy Name, the parish had to take out a loan from the Archdiocese to pay for the pre-fire roof repairs.  Holy Name pays more than $20,000 a month in interest alone to the Archdiocese.  This is a huge burden for a church that only brings in about $120,000 a month from the collection plate (based on $30,000 brought in last week multiplied by four weeks in a month).  Imagine paying almost 20% of your income in credit card interest.

The church is holding a series of fundraisers under the wordy banner "All Join Hands to Raise the Roof."  One will happen at the Palmer House Hilton on March 30th.  The Palmer House is picking up the tab for the event so that all of the money raised will go to Holy Name, not just an after-expenses portion.  Also, Devon Grill is donating 10% of the money it brings in on Easter Sunday to the cathedral.

Other groups are also chipping in.  A few churches around the archdiocese have forwarded money donated by their members to the cathedral.  And even the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Minnesota took up a collection for Holy Name.  If you've never been to the cathedral in Saint Paul, it's worth going.  It's an architecturally magnificent structure inside and out and recently underwent its own lengthy and costly renovation.  The University of Saint Mary of the Lake and a couple of private individuals are lending Holy Name small organs for use in the makeshift sanctuaries.

Our take: Holy Name parish and its cathedral have been the victims of some unfortunate luck.  Through no fault of its own the church has been hit repeatedly by very costly repair bills while continuing to meet its laundry list of charitable works in the community.  The Vatican has repeatedly pressured Western governments, including the United States, into a series of debt forgiveness packages for impoverished nations.  Holy Name should also get a forgiveness package from the archdiocese.  To be fair to the archdiocese, which is having its own financial problems, it doesn't have to forgive Holy Name's debt; merely drop the interest charges.  It's a small measure that would likely be an immense relief to the parish and the people who wonder if Holy Name will remain standing for another generation.

Holy Name Cathedral Fire Update One

Here's a statement from Alderman Reilly's office.  Not too much new, but it clarifies a few points.

At approximately 5:30 am this morning a fire broke out at Holy Name Cathedral, located at 735 North State Street. The fire began in the attic of the cathedral, just above the sprinkler system and in the east of the transept.

While the origin of the fire is being investigated by the Chicago Fire Department, the fire started in an area where new beams were being installed for structural improvements. The fire left the roofline compromised and the church ceiling exposed.

First responders were on the scene approximately two minutes after the initial call to 911. Engine #98 was the first to arrive at 5:33am. The firefighters of Engine #98 took decisive action which prevented the blaze from spreading throughout the structure with potential catastrophic results for the Cathedral.

Once the Fire Department completed its initial interior and exterior inspections, the fire was upgraded to a second alarm fire at approximately 6:00am and further upgraded to a three-alarm fire at 6:45 a.m. A total of 38 fire companies, including 121 firefighter and paramedic personnel were on the scene to combat the fire. Emergency crews successfully brought the fire under control by 7:30 a.m. and it was extinguished by 8:00 a.m.

Upon learning of the fire at roughly 6:30 a.m., Alderman Reilly rushed to the scene to meet with Fire Commissioner Brooks and 18th Police District Commander Georgas, representatives of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) and Diocesan staff to discuss details related to the emergency and implications for the building and surrounding neighborhood area.

Thankfully no civilians were injured during the emergency and one firefighter suffered minor back injuries and received a precautionary medical evaluation at nearby Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Streeterville. Fire and safety officials are currently on the scene with structural engineers to determine the extent of the damage. Repair crews have been dispatched to the roof to place construction tarps over the exposed roof and ceiling. Another team is working with the Chicago Fire Department to pump water out of the basement and main floor of the church to prevent further damage to the interior.

As a precaution, classes were canceled at the Frances Xavier Warde School for the remainder of the day. The school will remain in contact with students and their families to provide additional status updates regarding the school schedule.

Street closures are in effect at the following locations: State Street, from Chestnut Street to Huron Street Chicago Avenue, from Wabash Avenue to Dearborn Street (with the exception of Chicago Transit Authority buses) Superior Street, eastbound traffic lane to Dearborn

Weekday masses (6:00am, 7:00am, 8:00am, 12:10pm, 5:15pm) will be held again starting tomorrow (Thursday, February 5, 2009), but they'll be in the Parish Center club room.

All vigil masses will be held this weekend (5:15pm and 7:30pm Saturday, 7:00am, 8:15am, 9:30am, 11:00am, 12:30pm, 5:15pm Sunday), but they will be in the auditorium just north of the cathedral.  Signs will be posted.  

Weekend masses (Saturday 8:00am, 12:10pm) will also be in the club room.

Holy Name Cathedral burns

By now many of you have heard that Holy Name Cathedral is burning.  

The fire was first discovered around 6:00am today and from what I've seen on TV, all of the priests and nuns got out of the rectory and convent safely.  Neither Casa Jesus nor FXW school are threatened.  The fire was mostly put out by 8:00am.

From my bedroom I look down on the cathedral, and it's been heartbreaking to watch the streams of water from the Chicago Fire Department snorkels peel back the roof tiles in order to get to the interior of the roof where the fire is located.  Early indications are that the inside of the cathedral is OK, just suffering from water damage and most of the fire damage is limited to the area between the ceiling and the external roof.

We sent out a tweet about this a few minutes after six this morning.  If you're not on our Twitter list, you may want to join here: CAI on Twitter

On a personal note, this is my church.  I'm a regular at the 7:30pm Saturday masses.  I guess the only good thing is that the roof repairs over the summer gave the parish a contingency plan for what to do if the sanctuary is unavailable, so everyone will probably go back to having services in the auditorium again.  I'll probably end up at Saint Peter's in the Loop, though.  It's where I went before I moved to the North Side.