6 hospitalized after apartment fire erupts on West Side overnight

CHICAGO (WGN) — At least six people, including children, are recovering in the hospital on Thursday morning following an overnight fire that erupted at a West Side Apartment.

Chicago fire officials say the blaze broke out at an apartment building in the 5200 block of West North Avenue in Austin just before 2 a.m.

When crews arrived on the scene, they found the building engulfed in flames.

As crews began working to get the blaze under control, they deployed a ladder truck, using it to rescue five people from the building. A sixth victim was later rescued by a firefighter who was searching from the inside of the building.

Officials said three of the victims rescued are currently in critical or grave condition.

It remains unclear what sparked the blaze, but witnesses told WGN-TV that they heard yelling and loud noises prior to the fire breaking out.

Witnesses in the area spotted the chaotic scene unfold, telling WGN-TV that they even spotted people jumping from the burning building and dropping children to safety during the effort to extinguish the fire.

An investigation into the cause of the blaze is currently underway.