A Chicago Police officer was among five people hurt in a fire on the 50th floor of the John Hancock Center downtown Saturday afternoon.
The blaze started about 2:30 p.m. in the bedroom of a residential unit on the east side of the iconic building at 875 N. Michigan Ave., according to police and fire officials.
The fire was under control about 3:15 p.m., with crews putting out hot spots and ventilating the building, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said. A second alarm was called to bring in extra crews to help with floor-by-floor well-being checks before the blaze was officially declared extinguished shortly before 4 p.m.
A police officer who suffered smoke inhalation was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious “but stable” condition, according to CPD’s News Affairs office.
Four other people were taken to hospitals with injuries including minor smoke inhalation and sprained ankles, fire officials said. Two were listed in good condition and two others were “stabilized,” Langford said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, though Langford said it has been deemed accidental. Residents on the 50th floor will be displaced until repairs can be made, although the fire itself was contained to one unit, officials said.
