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Fires

Buildings
Posted inSolutions

3 Cities Chicago Could Emulate for Safer Buildings

by Alex Nitkin March 15, 2023September 17, 2023

Denver and New Orleans are all pushing to implement nationally recognized best practices on building inspections and fire safety while Chicago officials resist change.

Chicago firefighter Felix McAfee passes out smoke alarms with a 10-year battery life to residents in the 1600 block of North Mayfield Avenue on Dec. 22, following a fatal fire on the block. (Credit: Antonio Perez/ Chicago Tribune)
Posted inInvestigations

Smoke Detectors Save Lives, But Chicago Slow to Toughen Rules

by Alex Nitkin, Adriana Pérez and Kelli Duncan March 13, 2023March 16, 2023

A joint investigation with Illinois Answers and the Chicago Tribune found that smoke alarms were absent, defective or missing batteries in 57 out of 87 fatal residential fires in Chicago from 2020 through 2022.

A fire in the 500 block of North Central Avenue in April 2022 seriously injured Herrsterstine Burns, 57, who died three weeks later. Investigators found the apartment had no smoke alarms, even though city inspectors had visited the building as recently as early 2021 on other issues, records show. (Credit: Jose M. Osorio/ Chicago Tribune file photo)
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

Fires Continue to Kill People in Unsafe Buildings as Chicago Ignores Problems with its Inspection System

by Alex Nitkin, Adriana Pérez and Kelli Duncan March 10, 2023March 16, 2023

As other cities across the country adopt innovative programs to fix problem buildings, Chicago lags behind

Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

9 Potential Solutions to Keep Chicagoans Safer From Fires

by Madison Hopkins and Cecilia Reyes August 2, 2021January 26, 2023

A follow-up to a BGA/Chicago Tribune investigation finds other major cities have enacted reforms to improve building safety that could save lives in Chicago — if city leaders break from a pattern of neglect.

Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

The Failures Before the Fires: Dozens Die in Chicago Buildings Where the City Knew of Fire Safety Issues

by Madison Hopkins and Cecilia Reyes April 23, 2021March 14, 2023

Saying a federal appeals court mistakenly created a “watershed moment” that could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul sides with insurance titans that administer healthcare reimbursements

Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

Deadly Fires, Broken Promises

by Madison Hopkins and Cecilia Reyes April 23, 2021January 26, 2023

Chicago’s political leaders fail to enact safety rules that stick.

Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

42 Fires, 61 Deaths: A Story of Failed City Oversight

by Madison Hopkins and Cecilia Reyes April 23, 2021January 26, 2023

Look at photos. Listen to 911 calls. Read excerpts from key documents.

Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

The Failures Before the Fires: How We Reported This Story

by Madison Hopkins and Cecilia Reyes April 23, 2021January 26, 2023

Saying a federal appeals court mistakenly created a “watershed moment” that could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul sides with insurance titans that administer healthcare reimbursements

Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

‘Old Lessons That Tragically Went Unheeded’

by Madison Hopkins and Cecilia Reyes April 23, 2021January 26, 2023

Over and over, Chicago fails to learn from fatal fires

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Here at the Illinois Answers Project, our team of reporters work every day to uncover waste and wrongdoing in government, hold public officials accountable, and lift up solutions to Illinois’ most pressing problems.

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