Landlord with troubled history says extra-alarm fire in Albany Park did not start at his building but at popular brewery across alley

The sun hadn’t risen yet when Marilee Rutherford walked up to a row of television cameras Monday, what was left of her Albany Park brewery still burning behind her.

“It’s a little unreal,” said Rutherford, who opened Twisted Hippo on Montrose Avenue a little over three years ago with her husband. “It’s…It’s hard. It’s going to be hard, but we are lucky to have had it and we will see how we move forward.”

An extra-alarm fire apparently started in an apartment building in the 4300 block of North Richmond Street around 3:45 a.m. and spread to the brewery and a gym for children called the Ultimate Ninjas in the 2900 block of West Montrose Ave., according to fire officials.

The apartment building was gutted and the back of the brewery and gym were reduced to rubble. One injury was reported, a 60-year-old man who was taken in serious condition to Swedish Covenant Hospital.

An extra-alarm fire destroyed an apartment building and heavily damaged Twisted Hippo Brewery and Ultimate Ninjas.Anthony Vazquez | Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago fire officials said the second and third floors of the apartment building were engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, but all of the residents were able to escape.

The cause of the fire was unknown but it appeared to have started in the apartment building.

Rutherford said someone in the neighborhood alerted them to the fire. She said explosions reported by neighborhoods were likely from tanks used by the brewery.

Twisted Hippo opened in January of 2019 at a site where three other breweries had opened and quickly closed. At the time, Rutherford said she was aware of the failed ventures but added, “I also know the neighborhood is hungry for something wonderful here.”

Early Monday, Rutherford said it was “hard to see everything you worked for go up in flames, but I’m just glad my staff and everyone is okay. That’s all I’m focused on.”

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