ENLEWOOD, IL – A devastating fire in an apartment in Englewood resulted in the tragic death of a five-year-old girl and left a man hospitalized. The fire broke out Tuesday morning in a multi-unit apartment on the 500 block of West Marquette Road.
Chicago Fire Department crews arrived at the scene after an ambulance crew, returning from a previous call, reported smoke billowing from the building at approximately 7:15 a.m. Once inside, firefighters made the grim discovery of the young girl’s body in a bunk bed in one of the units.
Initial investigations by fire officials suggest that the blaze may have been prompted by careless use of smoking materials. Firefighters faced the challenging task of confronting the destructive flames, unable to reach the young girl in time.
Deputy Commissioner Marc Ferman of the Chicago Fire Department shared additional details of the devastating scene. He noted that several firefighters were heartbroken that they couldn’t get there in time to save the young girl.
According to reports, three children were in the unit when the fire broke out. Two other children- an infant and a six-year-old- are expected to make a full recovery. An adult male, believed to have attempted a rescue of the young girl, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening burn injuries.