Residents of a 30-unit apartment building in suburban Skokie have been displaced after a fire roared through the structure on Friday, and there were several heart-stopping moments for Good Samaritans and first responders at the scene.
Flames began pouring from the roof of the building on Friday afternoon, and as residents hurriedly evacuated, they didn’t have time to grab any of their belongings.
“I heard the alarm go off, and when I came out the police and fire trucks were pulling in,” resident George Lambrose said.
As residents evacuated, some four-legged residents were rescued as well, as Good Samaritans and police officers teamed up to save two dogs.
One of the residents was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, and a police officer was also treated after breathing in too much smoke.
Skokie Fire Captain Steve Jagman says the second and third floors of the structure are most impacted, and although only one unit caught fire, the water and smoke damage to the building is extensive.
At least two dozen people have been displaced as a result of the fire, but first responders are thankful it was not worse.
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“Any time we can have all the residents self-evacuate and only suffer one minor injury, it’s definitely a best-case scenario,” Jagman said.
The Red Cross is helping those impacted by the fire, and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.