Three children were hurt -- one critically -- when a home caught fire Wednesday night in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
A 4-year-old girl was rushed by paramedics to Comer Children's Hospital after her bed caught on fire. Fire officials said the girl was in the apartment with her 16-year-old sister, who went to the hospital in good condition with burns to her hands, and their brother.
"What I heard was a lot of people screaming, and I opened the door and I seen the bed in fire with the baby on fire," neighbor Vanessa Harden said.
Neighbor Clyde Harden said he took action and rescued the little girl from the bed.
"It was traumatic," Clyde Harden said. "It was difficult to see the little girl burning so I did the first thing I knew to do was grab her and try to comfort her."
The fire started about 7:25 p.m. in the two-story home in the 1000 block of West 76th Street, fire department spokeswoman Meg Alheim said.
Vanessa Harden said the girl's brother had been playing with a lighter. Fire officials say they are investigating if that was the cause.
"I guess the baby was going to bed and the mattress caught on fire and blankets caught on fire and she was just on fire," she said.
Clyde Harden said he thinks nothing of his heroic efforts to save the girl.
"I just ran upstairs and grabbed what I could and put the fire out on her and picked her up," Harden said. "She was scared."
"We let God take care of it. He made sure someone was here for the young lady."
Harden's son plays with the girl and drew her a picture hoping she gets better soon.
"They say she's fighting for her life right now, so we're hoping she's going to be fine," he said.
