THE SMOKE SO BAD, AT ONE POINT
LAKE SHORE DRIVE WAS SHUT DOWN
IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
AUDRINA, THEY WORKED ON IT FOR
HOURS.
YOU COULD JUST SMELL THE
SMOKE OUT HERE.
IT WASN'T JUST HARD TO SEE AND
BREATHE BUT IT WAS ALSO A BIG
MESS.
BOATS ARE BACKED UP ALONG THE
RIVER.
IT'SBACK TO NORMAL NOW.
IT ONLY TOOK CREWS A FEW HOURS
TO GET THE FIRE OUT.
A LOT LESS TIME IT TOOK THE LAST
TIME A PILING CAUGHT FIRE.
THAT TIME IT TOOK THREE DAYS.
AT ONE POINT THERE WAS ZERO
VISIBILITY.
FROM ALL ANGLES YOU COULD SEE
THE HEAVY SMOKE AT THE LAKE
SHORE DRIVE BRIDGE.
WE WANT TRAFFIC STOPPED ON
ALL LEVELS OF LAKE SHORE DRIVE.
Reporter: TRAFFIC STOPPED
BECAUSE DRIVERS AND CREWS
COULDN'T SEE.
WALKING PATHS AND BIKE PATHS ALL
CLOSED.
BOTH STOPPED.
MESSAGE RECEIVED.
THE RIVER IS SHUT DOWN AT THAT
LOCATION.
Reporter: AND FROM CHOPPER 2
ABOVE, A FIRE BOAT SPRAYING
WATER AT WHAT'S CALLED THE
DOLPHIN PILING.
THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT FIRE.
THOSE ARE THE WOOD BUMPERS IN
PLACE TO PROTECT THE BRIDGE
SUPPORTS FROM BOATS.
CONTRACTORS WITH BLOW TORCHES
WERE WORKING ON THE PILING, JUST
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, WHEN WOOD
CAUGHT FIRE.
JUST A SIDE NOTE.
THE PILINGS THAT CAUGHT FIRE
HERE ARE ALL OVER THE RIVER.
IN FACT, PILINGS CAUSED THE
GREAT CHICAGO FLOOD.
CITY OFFICIALS ARE STILL
INVESTIGATING QUESTIONS RAISED
BY CHANNEL 2.
Reporter: TURNS OUT WHEN THE
CITY PUT IN WOOD PILINGS, ONE OF
THEM CAUSED A CRACK IN THE
CEILING OF UTILITY TUNNELS.
THAT CAUSED IT TO FLOOD ACROSS
DOWNTOWN.
NOT ONLY WERE PEOPLE WALKING AND
BIKING, PEOPLE WERE DRIVING
ACROSS THE DRIVE.
BOATS WERE ALSO GOING
UNDERNEATH.
