Suspected narcotics lab found in River North

Chicago police on Saturday said they had taken over the investigation of a suspected narcotics lab inside a River North high-rise apartment building.

Chicago Fire Department crews responded to a small fire in a 24-story building in the 300 block of West Illinois Street Friday around 10 p.m., a department spokesperson said.

The fire was quickly extinguished, but officials then called a hazardous material response shortly afterward, the spokesman said. No injuries were reported.

An unknown number of building residents were asked to evacuate their apartments, but were allowed to return after about an hour, authorities said.

CFD said they turned the matter over to Chicago police. The police’s narcotics unit was handling the investigation, police confirmed on Saturday.

Officials didn’t state which drug they suspected was being produced, but federal authorities have long condemned domestic production, particularly when producing drugs like methamphetamine due to the high risk of exposure to toxic chemicals.

rjohnson@chicagotribune.com