Chicago Police

Person Badly Hurt, Police Officer Hospitalized After Englewood Apartment Fire

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One person was badly hurt and a Chicago police officer was injured after a fire roared through an apartment building on the city’s South Side Thursday, forcing residents to leap from windows to safety.

According to Chicago fire officials, the fire was reported in the 6400 block of South Morgan in the city’s Englewood neighborhood.

Firefighters say that the fire impacted two different floors in the residence, forcing some residents to jump for safety from windows.

Residents at the scene helped others escape from the building.

"We saw smoke, came over and heard them," Keith Harris, one of the Good Samaritans, said. "When they went to the back I was in the front telling them to head out the windows."

"Two people were hanging from the windows. There was a young man who put two garbage cans together and told them to jump on the garbage cans from the second floor," Darryl Smith said. "It was just instinct or heroics."

Romarr Gibson, who stacked the cans to help residents escape, said it was a simple choice to help.

"It was either fall or die," he said. "I gave her water, and she said she was okay."

One of the victims was transported to an area hospital in red (serious-to-critical) condition, according to fire officials. A Chicago police officer was also transported from the scene, and was listed in good condition at an area hospital, officials said.

Firefighters are still on the scene, and it is unclear what caused the blaze.

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