An investigation into the cause of a fire that occurred on Thursday morning at a mixed-use apartment building in the Austin area of Chicago, which resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to three others, is being conducted by officials as an act of arson.
According to the police, the fire claimed the lives of a man who was 76 years old, a lady who was 32 years old, and a son who was 5 years old. Additionally, a boy who was 4 years old was hurt and is currently in serious condition. One individual has not been found or identified.
In spite of the fact that authorities did not speculate on a cause of the fire earlier on Thursday, the police acknowledged that the fire was being investigated as something that was intentionally started.
Videos and photographs taken at the scene On Thursday morning, it was discovered that the third level of the structure had been gutted by fire, and that windows and portions of the roof had collapsed. The fire department reported that the stairs that connected the second and third floors had been totally “burned away.”
An argument between two people in the vicinity of the building escalated into a violent altercation, which resulted in a Molotov cocktail being thrown in the direction of the building, as stated by the Constituent Councillor for the 37th Ward, Emma Mitts.
A pregnant woman and a well-known local journalist who worked for the Austin Voice were among the people who perished in the fire, according to Mitts. The youngster, who was five years old, was also among those who perished.
As a result of the incident, at least twenty-five persons were forced to relocate, as stated by the authorities.
Despite the fact that the structure that was severely damaged by the fire is still being searched for, the search for a missing person is still ongoing.
No one is currently being held in custody, and there was no other information that could be provided.
