Chicago police investigate 3 injured in apartment building fire on Ohio Street in West Garfield Park

CHICAGO (WLS) — Three people were injured, one in critical condition, in a fire at a West Garfield Park apartment building, Chicago police said.

Chicago Fire Department officials said the investigation was turned over to Chicago police detectives because of possible criminal activity.

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The fireball was raging over a two-unit apartment building in the 4700 block of West Ohio Street in West Garfield Park.

A few hours later, only the shell of the building remained, with everything inside charred in the inferno.

“Everything is destroyed,” said a woman who lived in this house. “As if we have nowhere else to go. We don’t know who else to contact or anything else.”

The woman said that she was not at home at the time of the fire. She said she has spoken to the family about what happened.

“It’s bad to have a house and then burn it down like out of nowhere. Out of the blue,” she said.

Chicago police said the fire broke out after 11:30 p.m

Firefighters said the fire started in the back entrance of the building due to an open flame, which they called “accessible combustibles.”

Dozens of firefighters were seen putting out the fire, breaking windows and using flashlights to examine the building.

Displaced residents wrapped themselves in Red Cross blankets to keep warm.

A 33-year-old man was taken to Loyola Medical Center with serious burns to his face and hands, police said.

A woman ABC7 spoke to on the condition of anonymity says people used a ladder leaning against the building … to pull a critically injured man from the second floor of the building … which was engulfed in flames.

“One of the victims was screaming for help – it’s like it’s on fire, it’s burning! Someone help me, help me!” she said.

Two other people, an 81-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman, were also taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition for treatment of smoke inhalation.

Unfortunately, one family’s dog did not survive.

“Rest in peace Luna,” she said. “She was also burnt in the fire. We couldn’t save her… “It was our home and now it’s gone.”

Investigators are still determining what exactly caused the fire.