It was August 23rd, 2016, when a devastating fire broke out in an apartment building on the South Side of Chicago. The incident occurred in the Englewood neighborhood, specifically at 8114 South Essex Avenue. The fire was so intense that it required multiple alarms and a significant emergency response. Radioman911.com captured some of the radio traffic from the Chicago fire department, focusing on key transmissions and condensing the timeline significantly.
The fire started around 1:35 AM, and witnesses reported seeing people jumping from the building's upper floors. The fire escalated rapidly, prompting a 2-11 alarm response, which was soon upgraded to a 3-11 alarm with an EMS Plan II. This level of response brought in 10 ambulances and approximately 150 firefighters, alongside additional equipment.
Chicago Tribune reported that four people lost their lives in this tragedy. A 3-month-old infant was found near a man who had leaped from the third story. Two young girls, aged 4 and 7, perished inside an apartment on the third floor. The man who had jumped was critically injured and transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center. Tragically, he did not survive. Firefighters eventually located another man who had also died in an adjacent apartment.
Fire Commissioner Arriel Gray described the scene as chaotic. Heavy flames engulfed the second and third floors, making both staircases unsafe. Firefighters could not enter the building directly due to the intensity of the fire, so they fought the blaze externally. It took over four hours to bring the fire under control, finally being declared out at 5:39 AM.
Emergency responders managed to rescue several individuals using ladders, but the extent of the damage meant many remained trapped. Witnesses recalled seeing multiple people plummet from the building’s higher levels, which houses around 32 units. Among those rescued were an individual taken to South Shore Hospital in fair condition and another in good condition.
Tragic details emerged regarding the building's safety history. Records from the Chicago Department of Buildings showed that the structure had failed every annual inspection since 2011. The latest failure was recorded in November 2015. Inspectors faced numerous obstacles accessing parts of the building, but what they did manage to check revealed serious issues such as improperly secured porches, damaged staircases, and rodent infestations.
A suspect in the case, believed to have started the fire during an altercation, was apprehended by police. Allegedly, this person had argued with someone within the building, enabling them to escape before the flames spread. The community remains shaken by this loss of life, compounded by the known structural neglect that likely contributed to the severity of the disaster.
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