The Chicago Tribune has an article about a house fire this morning in Aurora that injured three occupants.
Three people were hospitalized and four dogs were rescued after a house fire in Aurora this morning, officials said.
The fire was reported at 9:55 a.m. on the 900 block of Garfield in the far western suburb, Aurora officials said. The two-alarm fire resulted in 50 firefighters being called to the scene including officials from the Aurora Fire Department’s rapid intervention team.
The two-story home appeared to be a total loss, officials said. Fire swept into walls and attic making it difficult to extinguish, according to a spokesman.
Two women and one man were taken to Aurora hospitals for smoke inhalation and treatment of cuts and scrapes, officials said. The injuries are believed to be non-life threatening, officials said. One of the women and the man were rescued from a rear upper porch by three Aurora police officers with the help from an 18-year-old male neighbor who used a ladder in the yard of the home before firefighters arrived, officials said.
Assisting agencies included Sugar Grove and North Aurora. In addition, Naperville and Oswego offered support while firefighters were on the scene.
thanks Dan
And from The Beacon-News:
Josue Lopez was still in a little bit of shock Wednesday afternoon, and with good reason. He had had quite the morning.
It’s not every day an 18-year-old rescues two people from a burning home, but that’s exactly how the morning played out for the Aurora resident. Lopez and his family were leaving their Garfield Avenue home around 9:55 a.m. Wednesday when they heard the screams.
A young woman had come barreling out of her home at 922 Garfield Ave. as flames licked away at the inside of the house.
“She said her parents were upstairs,” Lopez said. “I thought, I have got to do something.” Without hesitation, Lopez charged toward the scene. When he got there, he realized the grave nature of the situation. “I could hear (a man and woman) screaming. They had smashed one of the windows,” Lopez said.
Inside the home, Dave, 51, and Valerie Dykstra, 50, were desperate to escape.
“They were really bloody because of the broken glass,” Lopez said. “We had to get them out of there. I could see flames everywhere. The house was going down.” “I went and found a ladder, but it was chained up. I was pulling with all of my force, but it was impossible to get free,” Lopez said.
He needed a new plan. He went back to the roof and begged the couple to jump.
“I’ll catch you,” Lopez pleaded.
Then, three Aurora police officers arrived on the scene, and were able to cut the ladder free. They hoisted the ladder onto the roof, and ushered the Dykstras to safety.
It took more than 50 firefighters from three departments two hours to extinguish the fire, which left the home at 922 Garfield just a charred, wooden frame.
“The fire got into the walls and attic, making it very difficult to extinguish,” Aurora Police Department spokesman Dan Ferrelli said.
Aurora Fire Department Lt. Craig Mateski said in a press release that the first firefighters on the scene “encountered a large volume of fire in the front interior and exterior of the home, which extended up the exterior of the home to the second floor and attic area.”
He said that 50 firefighters fought the fire, including those from Aurora with help from the Sugar Grove and North Aurora fire departments.
The Aurora Fire Department received help from the Naperville and Oswego departments to handle calls while Aurora’s resources were tied up trying to control the blaze.
Both Dave and Valerie Dykstra were taken to area hospitals where they were treated for cuts and smoke inhalation. They were listed in stable condition late Wednesday afternoon. Their daughter, Victoria, and four family dogs escaped uninjured.
“I was scared, but I had to help them out. I wasn’t going to leave them there,” Lopez said of his rescue efforts. “People keep saying I am a hero. No. I just helped out. I hope someone would do that for us, too. I didn’t even think about it. You just gotta do what you gotta do.”
The fire caused more than $300,000 in damage to the structure and contents of the home. No cause has been determined. Members of the Aurora Fire Department Arson Team continue their investigation.
thanks John
