Fire Displaces 9 Evanston Residents From Howard Street Apartments

EVANSTON, IL — Nine Evanston residents were displaced Tuesday after a fire broke out in a business below their apartments.

Firefighters were dispatched shortly before 2:15 a.m. to 751 Howard St. for a report that a business on the ground floor was on fire, according to fire officials. They arrived to find heavy smoke and fire and called for backup immediately.

A smoke alarm had tripped an alarm panel, alerting an alarm provider and triggering the fire department response, Division Chief Kim Kull told Patch. A subsequent 911 call came in from someone who lives across the street.

Most residents were able to safely evacuate on their own, but firefighters escorted several other residents from the second floor of the burning building, according to Kull.

Firefighters managed to extinguish the fire in 15 minutes, Kull said, keeping it contained to Ashley Beauty Supply — the storefront where it started.

Kull said there was no significant damage to any of the other first-floor businesses, but three of the nine second-floor apartments had major smoke damage.

Evanston firefighters had assistance at the scene from Wilmette and Skokie fire chiefs, she said, while crews from Northfield and Skokie headed to Fire Station No. 1 at 1332 Emerson St. to help cover the city.

No injuries to residents or firefighters were reported, and representatives of the American Red Cross responded to the building to offer housing assistance and emergency services.

Kull said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.