By Sally Ho, Ben Meyer-Abbott and Jim Scalzitti
The Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — Two women were hospitalized after an electrical fire Sunday at a 200-unit downtown high-rise that houses elderly and disabled residents and college students.
Emergency crews responded to the blaze about 12:15 a.m. at the 14-story building in the 100 block of West Oak, fire officials said. The fire, which was extinguished by 1:50 a.m., is believed to have started in several electrical vaults.
The building, Jenkins Hall, houses graduate, female undergraduate and married students at Moody Bible Institute. It is also Section 8 housing for elderly, disabled and low-income residents, officials said.
Some residents using wheelchairs, canes or walkers were escorted out of the building.
An 80-year-old woman suffering from exhaustion after climbing down flights of stairs and an 85-year-old woman with shortness of breath were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition, officials said.
Liz Essex, 84, said she heard the alarms and, despite a bad back and knees and usually using a walker, escaped via a side stairwell from her 10th-floor apartment.
“Me and a lot of other people came downstairs holding on to the railing,” said Essex, who added that some residents were too sick to leave.
Those residents, Fire Media Affairs Chief Kevin MacGregor said, and many others were asked to stay in their apartments, and firefighters and paramedics were on every floor to ensure their safety.
The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago assisted 99 senior citizens, as well as 65 students, according to Red Cross spokeswoman Martha Carlos. Shelter for these residents was provided by Moody Bible Institute, but the Red Cross provided some breakfast, water, blankets, cleanup kits and toiletries for those affected by the blaze, Carlos said.
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