Overview
- A fire broke out at about 4:15 a.m. early Thursday inside a four-unit townhome on the 7000 block of North Paulina Street in Rogers Park.
- Two women and two males were found unresponsive inside the unit, taken to hospitals, and later pronounced dead; officials say the victims’ identities will be released by the Cook County medical examiner.
- Fire crews brought the blaze under control within about 20–25 minutes and said flames were confined to a single unit in the row of townhomes.
- Officials have opened a formal investigation into the cause and are collecting evidence at the stabilized scene for the medical examiner to determine cause of death.
- Neighbors reported screams and cellphone video showed large exterior flames, three neighboring residents were displaced, the family dog died, and city leaders are coordinating support for those affected.