(Above) Seen from Marina City, a Chicago Fire Department boat battles a fire on the Chicago River near the State Street bridge. At about 6:15 Friday morning, about 40 wooden pilings, driven into the riverbed on the south side of the river, caught fire. The State Street bridge was closed to vehicles and the east side of the bridge was closed to pedestrians. (Click on image to view larger version.)

The pilings, a five-foot-wide band of wooden poles soaked with a tar-like substance, that protect the bridge from passing boats, were being removed to make way for the Chicago Riverwalk. It’s suspected that a spark from a blowtorch smoldered for several hours.

To get to the fire, the fire department had to use a blowtorch to cut through a metal band and concrete cap that encase the pilings. The fire was out by 10:50 a.m., according to the Chicago Tribune. There were no injuries.

 Chicago Tribune article and video

(Below) Wider view of fire at about 7:30 a.m. on Friday. Click on image to view larger version.