Chicago firefighters respond to a building explosion at West End and North Central avenues Tuesday morning. (Chicago Fire Media / @CFDMedia)
A man who was seriously wounded in a building explosion in South Austin earlier this week has died, officials said.
The Chicago Fire Department confirmed Friday that one male victim, who had suffered “extensive" burns in the blast, died from his injuries. The man was 29 years old, according to Cook County Medical Examiner records.
The explosion occurred at approximately 9 a.m. Tuesday inside a four-story, 35-unit apartment building near West End and North Central avenues.
Eight people were injured in the blast: seven inside the building and an eighth person in a building across the street, Deputy Fire Commissioner Marc Ferman told reporters Tuesday. He said injuries ranged from “burns to traumatic injuries.”
The man who died had been treated at the Loyola Medical Center, officials said.
The CFD on Friday also announced its Office of Fire Investigation determined the explosion was caused by “the ignition of natural gas,” however the investigation has not yet determined what caused that ignition.
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431
