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Jan. 25 (UPI) -- One person is dead and nine injured after a fire at a high-rise apartment building in Chicago Wednesday morning left officials searching for its cause. Authorities said the injured included one firefighter. The extra-alarm fire affected multiple floors in the building before the blaze was extinguished in the city's Kenwood neighborhood.
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All eight civilians taken to the hospital were listed as stable by Wednesday afternoon. The firefighter was hospitalized with what officials called a minor injury.
Flames broke out around 10 a.m. CST on the 15th floor of the 25-floor residential building.
"With elevators out and long lead to standpipes, crews could not outrun the vertical spread of this high-rise fire," the Chicago Fire Department tweeted while the fire was still burning.
The building, itself, was constructed in 1970 and reportedly failed its last seven inspections conducted by the city's Department of Buildings. The most recent assessment in December flagged the building's fire alarm and evacuation system.
About 267 of the apartment building's 298 units were occupied at the time of the fire.
More than 300 emergency personnel responded to the fire. Crews were able to extinguish the blaze around 12:30 p.m.
The entire east side of the building is currently uninhabitable, Alderman Sophia King tweeted, adding the Red Cross is providing temporary shelter for 47 residents so far.
"We are deeply grateful to the first responders who swiftly and skillfully contained the fire and provided aid. Their dedication and quick actions saved lives and prevented further damage. We extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for their selfless service and bravery," King tweeted.
Officials are working on providing further shelter to displaced residents.
The city's Office of Emergency Management remained at the scene Wednesday afternoon, providing warming buses.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
