Chicago firefighters responded to a record number of blazes over the weekend, with department dealing with more calls than the city's 1968 riots.
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Beginning with a downtown raging sports store fire late Saturday, Chicago firefighters faced 85 blazes in 30 hours, WBBM-TV reports. Most of the fires erupted on the city's South and West sides and involved businesses that had been looted before being set ablaze.
In a six-hour period in April 5, 1968, the city had 36 major fires following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Months later, violence erupted in Chicago as police clashed with protesters during the Democratic National Convention in August.
Firefighters needed to navigate through thousands of rioters and demonstrators in order to reach the sports store blaze, and crews worked around the clock until early Monday, according to WBBM. Investigators have not been able to look into the fires because burned structures have been unstable and dangerous, and police have been unable to accompany fire officials, the TV station added.
At least one firefighter was injured at a two-alarm blaze at a strip mall late Sunday. The ceiling of one of the businesses collapsed during the call, sending the firefighter to the hospital in fair condition.
