Apartment building fire spreads, destroys Chicago brewery

CHICAGO (AP) - A Chicago brewery was destroyed by a dramatic blaze early Monday that fire officials believe started in a nearby apartment building.

The Twisted Hippo partially collapsed due to the fire which started about 3:30 a.m. in the Albany Park neighborhood on the North Side.

Tenants in the apartment building were able to escape. One man was taken to a hospital suffering from possible smoke inhalation, according to police.

Neighbors reported hearing explosions, WBBM-TV reported.

'œIt's hard to see everything you worked for go up in flames, but I'm just glad my staff and everyone is okay,'ť Twisted Hippo owner Marilee Rutherford told the television station.

'œWe have CO2 nitrogen tanks, just as a regular part of our business and I'm certain that's what the explosions were,'ť Rutherford added.

An adjacent business, the Ultimate Ninja gym, also was damaged by the fire, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.