A fire broke out Friday morning, October 30, at the Serbian National Defense Council of America building in Chicago’s Jefferson Park neighborhood. No injuries were reported, according to the Chicago Fire Department, and the cause remains under investigation.
Firefighters were called shortly before 7:30 a.m. to the 5700 block of North Elston Avenue, where the Serbian organization is based.
A neighborhood resident told CBS Chicago that the fire was so large his father had difficulty leaving the area and ended up being late for work.
Investigators are working to determine what started the fire. The extent of the damage has not been disclosed, and officials have not specified which parts of the building were affected.
The Serbian National Defense Council of America is headquartered at 5782 North Elston Avenue. Its facilities have also served as a gathering place for events involving Chicago’s Serbian community.
As of the initial report, authorities had not released additional information about the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Source: CBS News Chicago Photo: Printscreen
