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North Park University Dorm Fire Displaces Students; Alarms Questioned
A fire broke out in a North Park University dormitory on Chicago's North Side Thursday, forcing students to evacuate and relocate. One student said the building's fire alarms never sounded, raising concerns about safety protocols.
A fire at a North Park University dormitory on Chicago's North Side displaced students Thursday after flames broke out on the first floor and spread up a staircase, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
Firefighters were called to the private Christian college in the North Park neighborhood shortly before noon Thursday. The affected dorm is near Christiana and Foster avenues.
Many students were still inside the building when crews arrived and had to be evacuated, the fire department said. No injuries were reported.
One student said the building's fire alarms never went off, a claim that raises questions about whether warning systems functioned as intended.
"That was the crazy part," said Victoria Lopez, a student. "And we have smoke detector alarms that go off for silly things like air fryers, but apparently not for real fires."
Students who live in the dorm are unable to return to their rooms and must be relocated, the fire department said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about fire safety in residential buildings, particularly as students and families rely on alarm systems to provide early warning during emergencies. The university has not yet said where displaced students will be housed or how long the relocation will last.