Archive for November 13th, 2017

Batavia Fire Department news

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

A fire destroyed a vehicle in a one-car garage and damaged four townhouses in Batavia Friday night.

No one was injured in the fire that began at about 8:15 p.m. at a unit on the 400 block of Mill Street on the city’s west side, Batavia Deputy Fire Chief Craig Hanson said.

Crews from numerous fire departments were called in to assist with containing the fire, which was originally reported as vehicle on fire in a garage but was upgraded to a structure fire as the flames spread to a second-floor bedroom above the garage and then into three connected townhouse units.

Firefighters from Geneva, St. Charles, Cortland, South Elgin, Warrenville, and West Chicago assisted at the scene.

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Chicago Fire Department news

Excerpts from ABC7Chicago.com:

An 83-year-old woman was found dead Sunday in a second-story two-flat in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood after firefighters crews were called at about 2:35 p.m. to the home in the 1500-block of South Central Park.

Dorsey Calhoun did not sustain burns on her body and appears to be the victim of smoke inhalation. She was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The fire, which was contained to the living room, did not appear suspicious.

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New Chicago Fire Department replica models

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Of interest … Leaf River Fire Department

Excerpts from the saukvalley.com:

A young Leaf River firefighter died this Friday and two members of his family are hospitalized after a fire destroyed their home.

Shortly before 1 a.m., Greg Wood, 19, died on the second floor of the home at 209 W. Second St., which is just a block from the fire station. 

Wood’s father, Marcus Wood, 43, who is the deputy chief of the Leaf River Fire Department, is being treated at the burn unit at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, and his son, Travis, 16, is at Mercyhealth Hospital in Rockford.

The cause of the fire, which is not considered suspicious, is under investigation by Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigation, the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Ogle County Sheriff’s Department.

Fire Chief Steve Shelton, who lives across the street from the Woods, said he was awakened about 12:40 a.m. by members of the Wood family pounding on his door for help. By then the entire front of the two-story frame house was in flames.

He and his son, also a firefighter, immediately went to the fire station, and when they arrived on the scene with a fire truck, the house was totally engulfed.

Fifteen area fire departments responded to the scene. 

This is the first time the Leaf River Fire Department has lost a firefighter in a fire, and the entire department is devastated, Shelton said.

Neighboring fire departments will be covering Leaf River’s fire calls for the next few days.

Both Marcus and Greg also volunteered for the German Valley Fire Department, and Greg had just completed EMT classes.

After 2 or 3 hours, the firefighters’ efforts depleted the village’s water supply, and they switched to drafting water from tankers.

Greg graduated last school year from Forreston High School, where he was a member of the Leaf River Fire Department Volunteer Cadet Program. 

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