Man dead, firefighter among 3 critically injured in blaze at Belmont Central apartment
CHICAGO - A man died and three people were seriously injured, including a firefighter, after a fire broke out early Thursday at an apartment building in the Belmont Central neighborhood.
The fire was reported around 2:06 a.m. in the basement of a two-floor building in the 3100 block of North Marmora Avenue, police said.
Two men suffered burns in the fire and were taken in critical condition local hospitals, and one of them was pronounced dead, officials said. A woman, who was also burned, was transported to Loyola University Medical Center where she was listed in critical condition, police said.
A firefighter, who had just celebrated his one-year anniversary, was also critically injured at the scene and transported to Community First Hospital, fire officials said.
"We ask that everyone pray for all these people that were injured this morning in the fire" Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said. "We continue to be at press conferences about fire injuries. The truth is smoke detectors do save lives ... This is heartbreaking to be standing here this morning for this. Right before the holidays and families fighting, hoping and praying that their loved ones make it."
Fire officials have not said if working smoke detectors were inside the building.
Sara Balbuena, a high school senior, says her dog Chloe saved her family's lives by barking to wake them up. They escaped their first-floor apartment and are hoping to somehow salvage their Christmas. She said she woke up to her mother telling her to get up and get out of the apartment. Her father had to go back into the building to retrieve the car keys.
The family Christmas tree could be seen through the broken windows. She hoped she would be able to give her mother the present that was still inside the house.
After learning a civilian died from injuries, firefighters returned to the block to hand out smoke detectors, while investigators inspected the building to try to determine the cause of the fire. The man who called authorities says he did hear the sound of smoke detectors before firefighters arrived but he could not get to the tenants who were staying in the basement.