Fire along Wicker Park's Milwaukee Avenue drew a lot of CFD equipment Sunday

Mark Sutherland, in white shirt, stands amid some of CFD's equipment

Two hook and ladders and two squad trucks [equivalent to police SWAT vans] along with other trucks, vehicles and an ambulance from the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) rolled up on the street near the 1552-54 building on N. Milwaukee around 8:30 a.m. Sunday. No one was hurt and no flames were visible. 

With residents looking out of a neighboring building and a fireman climbing a ladder with a big toothed circular saw heading toward the roof, building owner Mark Sutherland was appropriately concerned. 

A fire chief told him that it may take soaking the building with water and cutting a hole in the roof. The hole ended up being a four foot square which is already repaired, said Sutherland. Furthermore the firemen were careful not to use more water than necessary. 

It is unclear whether the cause of the fire was a fireworks part piercing the roof or a faulty electrical connection. Though according to Sutherland, it is looking more like the electrical connection. 

"A tenant in an adjacent apartment smelled the smoke and called the fire department and me. We are very grateful that no one was hurt and that the damage to our building was minimal." 

Tenants remained in the building's second and third floor units. Retail in the first floor was not affected. There was no disruption to the rooftop space of Taxim's Restaurant, 1558 N. Milwaukee.