Jewelry

CHICAGO (WLS) --

Two firefighters were injured and others had to be rescued from a burning high-rise fire in the Loop Wednesday morning.

The extra-alarm fire broke out just before 2 a.m. in the Mallers Building on Jewelers Row at 5 South Wabash Ave., Chicago Fire Department officials said. It is a commercial building filled with jewelry manufacturers, diamond sellers and jewelry repair shops.

Two men had to be rescued from this fire, officials said. They are ok and both of them said the smoke was overwhelming.

The two men were seen tapping on the window so they could be rescued. One of the men, Koko Deveci, was working late and said he smelled smoke on the fourth floor inside a business called European Jewelry down the hall. He went to check it out before the smoke filled the hallways and became overwhelming.

"I heard a lot of noises coming from inside. I was like, kind of worried like if someone is in there. I started to knock on the door, ringing the bell, yelling if someone is in there. No one had answered," Deveci said.

Two firefighters were injured, fire officials said. One has a minor leg injury and the other got overheated. Both of them were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Fire officials said there is extensive damage to the third and fourth floors. Many businesses have been affected by the fire and fire investigators are working to determine the cause and origin of the fire.