Chicago faced a major 5-11 alarm fire on the north side overnight, which continued into Sunday afternoon. Firefighters from Haz Mat Level I responded to the blaze at a warehouse in the Avondale neighborhood. Tim Olk, Steve Redick, and Larry Shapiro were among those who covered the scene and are expected to share a wealth of photos and video footage tonight and tomorrow. Until the full collection is ready, here’s an excerpt from the *Chicago Tribune*, along with two early images captured by Steve Redick upon arrival.
> "An extra-alarm fire on the Northwest Side early Sunday morning destroyed much of a four-story brick building and brought more than 200 firefighters and paramedics to the scene, according to the Chicago Fire Department."
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> "Crews battled the 5-11 alarm blaze in the 2600 block of West Nelson Street in the Avondale neighborhood for hours until it was finally knocked down around 9:30 a.m. Some crews are expected to stay on the scene for much of the rest of the day."
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> "It’s not clear what caused the fire, which started before 2 a.m. and had spread through the top three floors of the multi-use building, causing the north wall and some of the floors to collapse. The blaze also prompted a hazardous material response."
The full *Tribune* article can be found [here](#).
Below are two photos taken by Steve Redick as he arrived at the scene. These images give a glimpse of the intensity and scale of the fire that kept emergency crews busy throughout the night and into the early afternoon.