Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Firefighters rescued a 6-year-old boy and a man when fire broke out in a two-flat in Oak Park overnight. …[they were found] unconscious inside one of the apartments. The boy was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, and the man was taken to West Suburban Medical Center.
Oak Park Fire Chief Thomas Ebsen said both were responsive, but their conditions were not available.
Crews arrived at the building in the 600 block of North Humphrey Avenue about 11:30 p.m. and found the entire back of the two-flat “totally engulfed in flames,” Ebsen said.
John Dansby said he started banging on the door of the building and was quickly joined by others. Julius White Sr., who lives two doors down from the building, said about five or six neighbors ran to the home to help … they were told three people lived in the second-floor unit, and one man punched through the window of the door leading up to the second floor.
“We went upstairs, and they were still sleeping,” Dansby said. “It was super smokey. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
One woman managed to escape, but the boy and the man were trapped. Neighbors and police officers were unable to reach them because of the heavy smoke, Ebsen said. … [and] The fire quickly spread to a building next door as firefighters raced to rescue the two.
“Because we spent a little time doing that rescue, the fire really got a foothold,” Ebsen said. “Both … are old wood-frame structures, and so the fire just progressed very quickly. “Unfortunately, it looks like those buildings will be a total loss. The roofs collapsed on both those buildings.”
Firefighters elevated their response to a 2nd alarm, bringing companies from nine different fire departments. About 40 fire personnel responded to the scene, Ebsen said. The fire was brought under control about an hour after crews arrived.
thanks Dan
