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Hancock Tower Fire: Five Injured By Blaze Inside Chicago Building

A fire was reported on the 50th floor of Chicago's iconic Hancock building Saturday, and flames and smoke were seen billowing from the tower.
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A fire on the 50th floor of Chicago's iconic Hancock building Saturday afternoon injured five people, and sent flames and smoke billowing into the air.

The Chicago Fire Department said the two-alarm fire was on the 50th floor on the east side of the building, and that five people suffered minor injuries, mostly smoke-related. Two patients were in good condition and three were in stable condition, the fire department said.

Related: More on this story from NBC Chicago

The fire, fought as snow fell on the city, was reported at around 2:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. ET), and it was later escalated to a second alarm because the building is a high-rise, fire officials said. The fire was under control by around 4 p.m. local time, officials said.

The fire is believed to have started in a bedroom of an apartment, Deputy Fire Commissioner John McNicholas told reporters. The resident of that apartment made it out safely, he said.

Arriving firefighters found the apartment "well involved" in flames, and it was badly damaged, McNicholas said.

The 100-story building was not evacuated during the fire. At least six ambulances were called to the scene, reported NBC Chicago.