Body found in debris after Cicero apartment fire and explosion: officials

CICERO, Ill. - A body was found Sunday in the debris of an apartment building explosion and fire that occurred in Cicero, officials said.

In total, 11 families have been displaced as a result of the blast.

What we know:

The explosion and fire happened at approximately 4:50 p.m. Saturday at 2214 Central Ave., affecting neighboring properties at 2212 Central Ave. and 5604-06 W. 22nd Place.

Initially, police and fire officials were told by family members of the apartment building where the explosion occurred that everyone had safely exited the building.

Further investigation, however, led fire officials to discover an individual who died in the blast. The family said they thought the individual was not on the premises at the time of the incident.

The deceased has not yet been identified.

Who Was Impacted :

A neighboring building was damaged by the fire and a third building sustained minor damage, officials said. 

Eleven units were impacted by the explosion, and 11 families are being assisted by the Town of Cicero and aid agencies, including the Red Cross. 

Some units had broken doors and windows that will need repairs before families can return. All families are being provided temporary housing, officials said.

"We heard a noise and then, whoosh. Everything exploded out from that apartment building behind us," said Daniel Portales.

Portales works at Paris Perfume Outlet, just a few doors down from the building.

The shop's owner shared surveillance video with FOX 32 Chicago, which shows debris flying across Central Avenue.

"Everything was practically shaking, even inside the building, all this, the wall, were moving around," Portales said.

Portales said the explosion occurred when the store was busy, and at first, he assumed there'd been a bad crash in the area.

"It was a heavy rush hour, so we were pretty packed," Portales said. "There’s always accidents here in the street, so we were thinking two or three cars hit each other, but when we realized, we all rushed out and, no, we saw fire."

One couple that lives in the building where the blast originated from was getting married when it happened, according to the bride—who shared that information with FOX 32 Chicago during a telephone conversation Sunday.

In addition to one person killed, six cats are also believed to have died in the explosion.

What's next:

The cause of the fire and explosion is still under investigation.  

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