The shock of it all is still there for many residents of a high-rise apartment building in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood after a fire tore through the structure on Wednesday.
That’s especially true for those who were actually in the building when it caught fire and saw the smoke and flames, or for those with loved ones still missing.
“I’m really hoping and praying that she didn’t have any major, you know, injuries from this,” said Julian Sherman, who had several loved ones inside the building, including his daughter.
Julian finally reunited with his daughter and her pets but has other family members who live in the high rise and were hurt. They’re still unaccounted for.
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“I still have an aunt, a great aunt, that stays up on the 19th floor,” he said “Nobody can tell me what hospital she’s been transported to or nothing. Nobody’s answering the phones. I can’t reach her."
“It was mindboggling! Traumatic....It was traumatic,” said another resident.
Some residents are still visibly shaken up after being inside the building when the fire started. They’re still trying to make sense of what happened and what they’ll going to do next.
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The Chicago chapter of the Salvation Army is assisting the victims with food and water and the American Red Cross is helping others with insurance claims.
Those displaced all have places to stay tonight with family and friends as the reality of what happened here sets in.
“Generally it’s a feeling of shock but at the day goes on, they’ve connected with the insurance company, find a place to stay, that’s sort of eased them knowing they’re well looked after and supported,” said Mark Barnfield with the American Red Cross.
For Julian, he’s holding onto his daughter tighter and her animals. Everything else can be replaced.
“I’m just glad they’re safe,” said Julian. “They got water damage to their apartment but you know I still got my daughter so…”
