An extra-alarm fire at an apartment building early Friday morning in west suburban Oak Park displaced several residents and damaged about 36 units, officials said.
Shortly before 12:30 a.m., Oak Park firefighters responded to 227 South Blvd. for a call of a fire inside a vacant first-floor apartment. When they arrived, smoke was visible in the unit. The fire spread through the walls up to the second- and third-floor residences and also moved to the surrounding units, officials said.
Several other towns sent firefighters to help fight the fire, and the blaze was under control by 3:30 a.m., officials said.
About 36 units were damaged due to fire, smoke and water, and utilities were shut off. The Oak Park Police Department helped with evacuations and relocating residents to a warm location.
While some residents chose to stay with family and friends, the American Red Cross was able to assist with finding shelter for those residents in need, officials said.
One Oak Park firefighter was sent to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood but has since been released to full duty, officials said.
South Boulevard was temporarily closed between Humphrey and South Cuyler avenues.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation.