Chicago fire crews called water management officials with a request to increase the water pressure in the city's Little Village neighborhood early Friday morning as they battled a massive warehouse fire that sent raging flames and smoke into the early morning sky.
Crews were called to the fire, at 2525 West 25th Street, shortly after 11:15 p.m. Thursday and was quickly elevated to 3-alarms. By the time the fire was out about two hours later, three buildings, several tractor trailers and countless wooden pallets were destroyed.
Residents in the area reported hearing explosions, and firefighters battling the fire at points were using more water than the local pumping station could supply.
"We did have an issue with water. When you supply a large volume, pumpers in large numbers, it diminishes the water supply in the surrounding area. We bring in large-diameter hose apparatus and reach large water mains to increase our water volume," said Deputy Fire Commissioner Anthony Vasquez. "We also had assistance from the water department to increase pressure in the area."
There were no injuries and the cause of the fire was still under investigation as of 6 a.m. Friday.