Chicago firefighter injured in fall from roof while battling South Side blaze

CHICAGO - A Chicago firefighter was injured after falling from a roof while battling a house fire Friday afternoon.

Residents in the city’s West Englewood neighborhood witnessed it unfold.

"I saw a fireman fall off the side of the roof," said Olympia Haidos, who lives nearby. "I was crying, I was in tears. My husband rushed downstairs and said, ‘what’s going on?’ and I said either somebody fell out of the window or… and by the time they took him on a stretcher, we knew it was a fireman."

About 4 p.m., firefighters responded to a call of a fire that broke out in the first floor of a two and a half story building in the 6200 block of South Paulina Street, according to the Chicago Fire Department.

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 32 CHICAGO APP FOR BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Officials with the Chicago Fire Department confirm that a firefighter fell, but did not say from which part of the home. The firefighter was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition.

CFD officials have not disclosed the extent of the firefighter’s injuries.

In addition, a person was pulled out of the house and taken in critical condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center, fire officials said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.