Just before sunrise on Thanksgiving morning, a fire broke out in the former Wing Hoe restaurant located in Chicago’s 9th Battalion. The structure was built as a private residence in 1913 and had been the Wing Hoe since 1971. It was currently vacant and scheduled for demolition. Companies had been drilling in the structure as recently as the day before. The building was a 2.5-story brick with a basement where the fire appeared to originate. Engine Company 83 made a valiant effort to get a line on it before it advanced, but with holes in the floor and being heavily charged with smoke, the decision was made to transition to a defensive attack.

I arrived as the box was being pulled and found very heavy smoke emanating from the entire structure. Engine Company 59 made entry from a safe POV through a rear door that accessed the basement and made some headway there but the fire extension was already advanced. A Snorkel, tower ladder, two RAMs, and several hand lines were used to bring this job under control.

Eric Haak