The United States of America is facing coldest temperature in a decade due to the Polar Vortex. Chicago residents are finding it difficult to carry out daily chores in -51 degree. The condition is so terrible that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has directed people not to leave homes unless required. Meanwhile, homeless people have resorted to small hotels looking for shelter. And in the chilling cold weather, it seems an unknown Good Samaritan has been paying the bills for around 70 people.
As temperatures dropped terribly, homeless people have been the most affected with no roof above their heads. As the temperatures dropped below -32, generous citizens came ahead and gave portable propane tanks to keep them warm. However as the homeless encampment near the Dan Ryan Expressway was being heated by 150 to 200 such tanks, one of the exploded. Polar Vortex: U.S. Braces for Extreme Cold Weather, Chicago to be Colder than Antarctica.
Luckily nobody was injured, but the Chicago Fire Department on Wednesday confiscated nearly 100 of the tanks. The people were evacuated from the region and had to be immediately transferred to a safer place.
Here is the Chicago Fire Department's tweet on the incident:
During extreme cold weather, we understand that people want to help our homeless population. However, we ask that under no circumstance should you donate propane tanks which are potential fire hazards. Propane tanks can cause potential fires and explosions.
— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) January 30, 2019
Jackie Rachev at the local Salvation Army received a call asking if she could accommodate 70 people. The Salvation Army decided to move people to a makeshift warming centre, when Rachev received a call again. US Polar Vortex Effect: Chicago sets its Rail Tracks on Fire to Keep them Functioning.
According to the CNN, she was informed by officials that a Good Samaritan offered to take care of their hotel bills. Rachev said she does not know the identity of the person and the hotel is located in the city's South Side. She said, "All the folks there, some wonderful citizen is going to put all of them up at a hotel for the rest of the week." She also said that one person did not accept the offer and preferred to stay at a warming centre.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 01, 2019 03:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).