Fire tears through historic Western Felt Works factory building in North Lawndale

A fire tore through a historic textile factory in North Lawndale on Friday night, raising concerns of preservationists about the site's planned demolition.

The fire started in the Western Felt Works building at 4155 W. Ogden Ave., according to reports from the Chicago Fire Department, which was on scene around 10:30 p.m. to control the blaze.

By 11:15 p.m., the fire was under control, according to the fire department. It has since been extinguished. No injuries were reported.

The fire department did not return requests for comment Saturday about when the fire was struck out or the extent of the damage.

The cause of the blaze also remained unknown, but it raised concerns among local preservationists amid the site's ongoing demolition.

The Western Felt Works building, which was built in 1916, is one of three industrial buildings near Ogden and Keeler avenues on the Endangered Buildings List compiled by Preservation Chicago, an organization committed to protecting historic structures across the city.

The buildings are undergoing demolition as part of a warehouse redevelopment project involving the Western Felt Works building and the two neighboring Turner Manufacturing Co. buildings at 4147-4151 W. Ogden Ave.

IDI Logistics, which is leading the project, plans to build a 246,200-square-foot warehouse in the site's place.

In an emailed statement, IDI Logistics said a team will be on site throughout the weekend to monitor for any remaining hot spots from the fire.

"Priority number one is that no one was hurt," the statement read. "We're grateful for the Chicago Fire Department's and the team at American Demo's quick and collaborative response to contain the fire."

Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago, said the fire was "heart-wrenchingly tragic in every regard."

"This is a huge loss for Chicago and for the neighborhood culturally, historically, architecturally and most importantly, environmentally," Miller said.

The Western Felt Works building was designed by architect R.C. Fletcher, and produced felt products during World War II that were essential in helping the allies win the war, Miller said. The factory operated in Chicago for nearly a century.

But its destruction is more than a historical loss for the city, Miller said. The fire also poses environmental concerns for the surrounding neighborhood.

"There were toxic plumes of smoke going up into the air all evening long and into the morning," Miller said. "This is a community of color that's seen a lot of disinvestment over time, and of course the fumes, smoke and toxins don't stop at neighborhood borders."

Miller said the site's demolition permit, which was granted in August, should be rescinded until a full investigation is conducted into the cause of the fire.

"The community has been in opposition to this proposal for almost a year now, and it's tragic that our leaders or elected officials can't understand and work with the community toward preservation of these structures," Miller said.