EDUCATION

19th century Chicago school building being turned into condos caked in ice after fire

Associated Press
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An entrance at the former Mulligan Elementary School in Chicago is seen caked in ice Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, one day after a fire gutted the 114-year-old building, which developers had planned building into condominiums. The water used by firefighters quickly froze, leaving icicles hanging from the school's exterior. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford) (The Associated Press)

Chicago firefighters look up at the former Mulligan Elementary School in Chicago that is caked in ice Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, one day after a fire gutted the 114-year-old building, which developers had planned building into condominiums. The water used by firefighters quickly froze, leaving icicles hanging from the school's exterior. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford) (The Associated Press)

The former Mulligan Elementary School in Chicago is seen caked in ice Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, one day after a fire gutted the 114-year-old building, which developers had planned building into condominiums. The water used by firefighters quickly froze, leaving icicles hanging from the school's exterior. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford) (The Associated Press)

A Chicago school building that opened to students in 1890 is now caked in ice after being gutted by fire.

The Mulligan Elementary School in the Lincoln Park neighborhood was closed in the 2000 and sold by the Board of Education several years later. A developer was converting the building into condominiums.

Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours Tuesday, spraying water that turned to ice in the frigid weather.

The ice also caused problems for public transit. Chicago Transit Authority elevated train service was disrupted for nearly six hours as crews removed ice from the tracks caused by water used to fight the fire.

Authorities say the cause of the fire hasn't been determined. No one was injured.