Two Injured In Edgewater, Chicago Apartment Fire

Unsafe Premises - January 3, 2024

Multiple People Injured After Fire Broke out At Edgewater, Chicago Apartment Along West Foster Avenue

Two Injured In Edgewater, Chicago Apartment Fire

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (January 3, 2023) – At least two people were critically injured in an Edgewater, Chicago fire at eight-story apartment building on West Foster Avenue.

Cook County officials are saying that the incident took place around 8:10 a.m. on Friday. The scene of the fire was chaotic with dozens of people running out of the Edgewater building.

However, some residents were injured and many others became trapped. Firefighters were called to the scene in order to put out the blaze and rescue people.

A 28-year-old woman and a 62-year-old man were both taken to Swedish Hospital with critical injuries. Several residents in the building said that the fire alarms did not go off.

A full investigation into the cause of the Edgewater apartment fire remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Chicago Apartment Fires 

Residential fires remain one of the leading causes of preventable injury and death in the United States. According to The Zebra, In a five-year period, house fires caused 2,620 deaths and $6.9 billion in property damage (NFPA). In 2018, the national average was 2.5 civilian fire deaths and 9.8 injuries per 1,000 fires (NFDR). The top three causes of fires in homes are cooking, heating equipment, and electrical malfunction (FEMA).” There are a number of steps that apartment owners should take in order to prevent fires.

  • Apartment owners should install smoke alarms and check them regularly.
  • Apartment owners should install fire extinguishers at multiple locations on every level of the building.
  • Apartment owners should clearly post emergency exit plans.

All property owners in Illinois have a legal obligation to protect their tenants from foreseeable sources of harm. This includes harm that comes due to fires. When a property owner has actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition with their property, they must take action. When a property owner does not take reasonable steps to protect guests from fires, this could form the basis of a civil claim. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any apartment fire.

  • Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
  • Medical records should be preserved.
  • Surveillance footage should be sought.
  • The source of the fire should be determined.

Residential fires can be devastating. People are often left without a home for long periods of time. Victims may also be left with serious and life-altering injuries. Some of these injuries may not be immediately obvious. Any person that is injured in an apartment fire may have legal recourse through a civil claim. A personal injury attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.

Investigating Chicago Apartment Fires

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to all of the people injured in this Edgewater apartment fire. Any person that may have more information about what happened should speak with investigators. It is our hope that steps are taken to prevent similar incidents.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an apartment fire? You may have legal recourse. Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.