LITTLE VILLAGE — A fire broke out at the former Crawford Coal Plant Wednesday morning in Little Village, leaving one person injured, fire officials said.
At 10:47 a.m., the Chicago Fire Department was notified of a fire at 3501 S. Pulaski Road, said Larry Merrit, a spokesperson for the Fire Department.
One person was taken to a nearby hospital in good condition and the fire was extinguished by 11:30 a.m., Merrit said.
The fire happened when crews were dismantling an electrical transformer on site, said Jen Scully, a spokeswoman for Hilco Partners, the firm that owns the site. A fire was sparked and workers evacuated and notified authorities, she said.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known, Merrit said.
Developer Hilco Partners purchased the 70-acre site in 2017. They received City Council approval to remediate the site and build a massive one million square foot distribution center last year.
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The Crawford Power Plant was shut down in 2012 after community-led efforts raised concerns about the impact coal pollution was having on the health of Little Village residents.
The Hilco plan has sparked anger among residents who fear the distribution center will bring more diesel trucks and increase pollution in the neighborhood.
Last year, Hilco officials told residents they plan on beginning demolition and remediation in 2019. The distribution center is expected to be completed in 2020.
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