UPDATES WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
An inmate was hospitalized in critical condition after a fire early Wednesday at the Cook County Jail.
Firefighters responded about 12:30 a.m. to the blaze at 2834 W. 31st St., Division IX of the jail, said Fire Media Affairs Chief Juan Hernandez. Division IX was designed to hold 1,056 males and is comprised of two interconnected three-story buildings, housing general population inmates with a maximum security classification, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office website.
One inmate, a 25-year-old man, suffered burns and a stab wound that appeared to be self-inflicted, Hernandez said. He was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital.
The fire was struck out by 1:24 a.m. and no other injuries were reported, officials said. The cause remains under investigation.