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Over 2 years after South Side Chicago high-rise fire, residents still can't return

By
Adam Harrington
Adam Harrington
Web Producer, CBS Chicago
Adam Harrington is a digital producer at CBS Chicago, where he first arrived in January 2006.
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Adam Harrington,
Steffanie Dupree

/ CBS Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) -- More than two years after a fire at the Harper Square Cooperative residential high-rise in the Kenwood neighborhood, dozens of frustrated residents were wondering if they would ever return home.

The fire that ripped through the building at 4850 S. Lake Park Ave. in the South Side's Kenwood neighborhood happened back on Jan. 25, 2023. That wintry Wednesday, flames broke out just after 10 a.m. on the 15th floor of the apartment tower. 

The fire spread to 10 floors of the 25-story building. Debris was seen falling to the ground as firefighters rushed into the building to put out the flames, while residents inside the building spotted flames climbing past their windows.

A woman in her 80s, a retired schoolteacher, died in the fire.

In all, people who lived in more than 140 units were displaced. More than two years later, 80 units still were not fixed — including the one belonging to Ken and Rita Harris.

"They had told us in September that we would start moving back in in December," said Ken Harris, "so we were preparing to move in mentally [and were told]: 'Oh no, another year. You've got another year.'"

Fire investigators blame the lack of sprinklers for the damage caused by the blaze. The building was built in 1970 — long before sprinklers were required — and it was never retrofitted.

Advocates for sprinklers say the cost of fire repairs is often much more than the cost of retrofitting.

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