Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

Hoffman Estates Firefighter Evan VonQualen was commended by Fire Chief Jeff Jorian and the village board this week for helping save the life of an Elgin resident while driving to work in Hoffman Estates.

VonQualen recounted that he just happened to look to his left during his morning commute Dec. 11 to see a house that was clearly in the early stages of a fire.

He pulled over and contacted the homeowner to get him out of the house. The man was concerned for the lives of his cats and attempted to re-enter the home to search for them. VonQualen persuaded the man that the cats would be all right and got him safely away from the burning structure.

Though human life was the immediate concern, the firefighters rescued the cats as well.

VonQualen will be honored again, in Elgin, at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way.

thanks Dan

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