Crime & Law

After Fire Breaks Out, Officials Plan to Remove North Park Homeless Encampment

The Chicago Fire Department responded Monday morning to a blaze at a homeless encampment along the North Shore Channel in the city’s North Park neighborhood. 

Officials said they are working to identify a cause of the fire that happened along the west bank of the North Shore Channel just south of Peterson Avenue, however fire investigators found multiple gas cans and propane tanks at the site.

As of late Monday morning, fire officials on the scene said there were no apparent injuries, but they were unsure how many people were displaced.

“It’s a regular occurrence,” said CFD Deputy District Chief Kelly Burns who was on site. “It’s tents, wood, open flames, I mean it’s kind of a recipe for disaster.”

Burns said the department’s hazardous material team was “metering and monitoring the area to make sure there’s no leaks and everything’s safe.”

Burns added his team had informed the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) and the city’s Bureau of Forestry given the fire’s location along the water.

“As a steward for the Chicago area waterways, the MWRD is always concerned about the protection of our waterways and the adjoining banks. The MWRD will work to ensure that if any debris from the fire entered the waterway that it is safely removed,” Allison Fore, spokesperson for MWRD, told WTTW News via email.

A fire broke out in a homeless encampment along the North Shore Channel on July 28, 2025. (Crystin Immel / WTTW News)

Residents in the area said they weren’t surprised about Monday’s fire.

“I’ve made several complaints,” said a woman who identified herself as Evanthia, and has lived in the area for 45 years. “I call the police all the time because they start fires over here to cook. They know me by my first name.”

She said there’s more than 20 encampments along that stretch of the river. 

“They are taking over our neighborhood, making a mess, syringes everywhere, drugs are going on,” said Evanthia. “Our kids can’t play in the parks anymore.”

In addition to contacting the Chicago Police Department, residents said they have made several complaints to Ald. Samantha Nugent (39th Ward).

WTTW News reached out to Nugent’s office for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

However, in an email newsletter on Monday afternoon Nugent told 39th Ward residents, “This morning I reached out to the Park District and soon after spoke with the Superintendent who confirmed they will be moving forward with closure of the encampment along the riverbank at Legion Park.”

The email went on to say Nugent will advocate “for the needed supports and resources for those who are unhoused.”

Michele Lemons, a spokesperson for the Chicago Park District, told WTTW News via email that the district is working to clean up the debris from the fire. 

“We are also working with the alderwoman (Nugent) and DFSS (the Department of Family and Support Services) on a more comprehensive cleaning of the encampment in Legion Park in the coming months,” Lemons said.

Ald. Debra Silverstein, whose 50th Ward includes the east bank of the river, was on site as firefighters worked to extinguish the fire Monday morning.

Silverstein said she had heard a lot of emergency workers were in the area so she stopped by the scene. She said she’s also heard from residents in her ward who have concerns about the encampments.

Silverstein said she thinks the city needs to do more to come up with long-term solutions for people who are unhoused. 

“My heart breaks for people that have nowhere to live,” Silverstein said. “It’s a terribly hot day today and then it gets freezing in the winter and people are living outside. And so, yes, I think we need to find places where they can go, that are safer than living outside.” 

A fire broke out in a homeless encampment along the North Shore Channel on July 28, 2025. (Crystin Immel / WTTW News)A fire broke out in a homeless encampment along the North Shore Channel on July 28, 2025. (Crystin Immel / WTTW News)

Note: This article was updated with news of the planned removal of the encampment.

Patty Wetli contributed to this report. 

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