Archive for December 18th, 2013

3 injured from Aurora house fire 12-18-13

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

 

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Fatal fire in Naperville, 12-18-13

The Chicago Tribune has an article about a house fire this morning in Naperville that claim two lives and injured 3 others:

Two people were found dead following a house fire in Naperville this morning, according to fire officials.

A neighbor called 911 at about 6:50 a.m. and reported a fire at a two-story home in the 1200 block of Field Court, according to Bureau Chief Mark Thurow.

fatal house fire in Naperville IL

Two people were found dead following a house fire at a two-story home in the 1200 block of Field Court in Naperville on the morning of Dec. 18, 2013. Sean Burke photo

Firefighters rescued a 21-year-old man who was transported to Edward Hospital in critical condition. An 84-year-old man and 56-year-old woman also were taken to the hospital, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, Thurow said.

Field Court resident Sean Burke awoke about the same time when he heard emergency vehicles. At first he could see small flames, but within about 15 minutes the fire had grown.

“The blaze really took off and got really large,” he said. He said he could hear firefighters talking over their radios that people were trapped upstairs. He also noticed several ambulances on the scene that weren’t transporting people.

About 10 minutes after their arrival, firefighters were forced to evacuate the home “due to the danger of structural collapse,” according to Thurow. Two occupants of the home, a 57-year-old man and his 56-year-old wife, were initially unaccounted for, Thurow said. When it was safe for firefighters to reenter the home, they found that the second floor had collapsed and two bodies were found in the basement.

thanks Dan

 

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Firefighters drive contest winner to school in Buffalo Grove

From the Buffalo Grove Fire Department:

Recently Jacob Moodhe celebrated his birthday with a special ride to school. Jacob was the lucky recipient of a “Golden Ticket” entitling him to a ride to school on a fire truck. On Halloween, members of the Buffalo Grove Fire Department were out in force handing out goodie-bags to children that were trick-or-treating; this gave the firefighters a chance to interact with the public on a non-emergency basis, plus they were an extra set of eyes keeping watch over the children. The bags contained treats and fire safety information. Ten bags also contained “Golden Tickets” for rides to school on a fire truck. Jacob, who was accompanied by his brother Trevor, was recently dropped off at Longfellow school by the crew of Tower 25.

Buffalo Grove Fire Department takes child to school

Buffalo Grove Fire Department photo

Buffalo Grove Fire Department takes child to school

Buffalo Grove Fire Department photo

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