About 180 firefighters and 60 pieces of equipment were called to the scene, fire spokesman Chief Joe Roccasalva told reporters. There were five regular hoses pouring water from ladders, and some large-bore hoses also working to douse the fire, he said.



Fire officials called a hazardous materials response for the fire "because we don't know what's in the building," Roccasalva said. When asked what might be in the building that could be hazardous, he replied, "It's a flea market! I have no idea — just stuff."



On its website, the flea market boasts hundreds of vendors and bills itself as "Chicagoland's largest indoor/outdoor flea market." The same family has run the market since the 1980s, according to the website.



The Department of Buildings completed a building inspection March 19, 2014, and issued three minor building code violations that called for grading and draining the lot, stopping leaking water and repairing interior walls and ceilings, according to a department spokeswoman.



An inspection will be done to assess conditions after the fire, she said.