2 teens, firefighter injured in extra-alarm house fire on South Side
by: Glenn Marshall, Marisa Rodriguez, Courtney Spinelli, Andrew Smith
CHICAGO — Two teenagers and a firefighter were injured in an extra-alarm house fire on the city's South Side.
The blaze started just after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday near 113th and Edbrooke in the Roseland neighborhood. The fire was contained in the basement and first floor of the residence.
According to officials, a 17-year-old boy was trapped on the first floor of the home and had to be rescued. He was transported to Comer Children's Hospital in serious-to-critical condition with burns.
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A 16-year-old girl was also transported to Comer Children's Hospital in fair condition with minor injuries.
A firefighter suffered second-degree burns to the face and was transported to an area hospital in good condition. A Mayday was called to help get the firefighter safely out of the building.
The Chicago Fire Department said the fire was probably caused by improperly discarded smoking materials near bedding and the fire is accidental.
About 100 firefighters responded to the scene to assist and took nearly two hours to fully extinguish the fire.
Travis Winfield has lived in the home for 17 years. He said his wife woke him up after smelling smoke.
He got most of his family out but said his son, Treyvon, was still inside after running back in to get something.
"I didn't know what to do," Travis said. "I was really scared."
As firefighters worked to get Treyvon, Travis said something even more terrifying happened.
"When they went in to first stop the fire, there was like an explosion," Travis said.
Travis said he watched as first responders performed CPR on his son and credits the firefighters who rushed inside for saving his life.
"I thank god for the firefighters," Travis said. "They came and did their job."
Patice Lewis said she was devasted to see the scene unfolding near her home Wednesday.
"I began immediately to pray," she said.
Having lost a family member in a fire years ago, Lewis said this all hit too close to home.
"Literally I was crying and just hoping that everything was ok," Lewis said. "Because I understand how that feels."
Neighbors jumped in to help as first responders were working on the scene, Lewis said, trying to give back to a family she said often helps others.
"If it's just a prayer, a coat, shoes, whatever we can do, that's what we did," Lewis said.
While family living in the home is thankful to be alive, their next-door neighbors are too. An electrical issue forced them out weeks ago.
They found the room they usually sleep in had blown-out windows and sharp debris from Wednesday's fire.
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