A fire in the kitchen of a second floor apartment forced 11 residents a building at 2137 Howard St. in Evanston from their homes Friday night.
Fire Division Chief Kimberly Kull says first arriving companies found moderate smoke and fire conditions on the structure’s second floor. She says firefighters were able to limit the fire to the kitchen area of the unit where it started and had it extinguished in just over a half hour.
All occupants were escaped the building before firefighters arrived and there were no reports of injuries.
The American Red Cross was called to provide food, housing and social services for 11 occupants displaced by the fire.
Additional personnel and equipment were called in from neighboring communities to assist with the response to the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Update 2/21/21: Alderman Ann Rainey, whose 8th Ward includes the building struck by the fire, praised employees at the Target store near the fire scene “who sheltered all 17 of the displaced residents for hours offering snacks and water and warmth to them.”
“Some of the residents escaped wearing only flip flops or slippers,” Rainey added.
She also said Fire Chaplain Rev. Monte Dillard remained with the families until EFD and NICOR determined the building was safe for some to return and others to gather belongings for temporary relocation.