A resident and a firefighter were injured Saturday in an early morning fire that destroyed a Summit apartment building, Summit Fire Chief Wayne Hanson said.
Firefighters called to the 7600 block of West 61st Place about 2:30 a.m. found “heavy smoke and fire” coming from the building, he said.
All 12 occupants of the three-unit structure escaped, but one needed to be treated for smoke inhalation. A firefighter was treated for exhaustion, he said.
“The building at this point will be considered a complete loss,” Hanson said.
A man named Eduardo, who identified himself as the building’s owner but declined to give his last name, said he felt badly for his tenants, who are now displaced during the holiday season.
Hanson said the Red Cross provided housing assistance to the residents.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Several other fire departments provided mutual aid, including Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park and North Palos, he said.
Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.