Chicago, IL – Authorities say a fire in a Chicago subway has injured 19 people, five of them seriously, and sent black smoke billowing from grates along city streets.
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The Chicago Transit Authority says a small fire broke out along the Red Line tracks just north of downtown.
Chicago Fire Department spokesman Richard Rosado says 19 people were taken to hospitals, most with respiratory complaints, though none suffered life-threatening injuries.
He says five people were transported in serious to critical condition, three were in fair to serious and 11 had minor injuries.
Transit spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski says the fire was quickly extinguished and investigators are trying to determine was started the blaze.
Subway fire are hellish. Even a small garbage fire creates smoke conditions that choke you in the blistering hot tunnels.
Thank you to BDL-1 for leading the rescue operation and choppering out those 3 patients! his name will remain unwritten but he has been a huge askan in the Chicago community!! thank you again!