A candle left unattended overnight started a fire that injured a firefighter and displaced several residents.
The fire was reported just before 7 a.m. Sunday morning at 5934 N Borthwick Avenue.Firefighters arrived to find the entire front of the house engulfed in flames, according to a statement from the fire department.
Five people who had been living in the building were being assisted by the Red Cross. Four of the five residents had to jump from windows to escape the fire. One of those women twisted her ankle when she jumped and a male resident injured his shoulder as he tried to catch one of the people who had jumped.
Also injured was Firefighter Rian Fields, an eight-year-veteran, who siffered minor injuries to his head and neck when a large section of ceiling fell on him.
Twenty-five firefighters were needed to contain the blaze. A downed power line required them to take special precautions.
Investigators said the building, which was valued at $250,000, suffered $200,000 worth of damage and that the contents of the building, valued at $75,000, were completely lost.
There were no smoke detectors in the building.
