VIDEO: Squad 5A snorkel operations and ladder operation by Tower 39 and Truck 18 on South Union Avenue in Chicago.
Chicago firefighters responded about 10:03 AM Saturday, July 13, 2013 to a house fire in the 4400 block of South Union Avenue to a report of a fire that started on the back porch of one house and spread to three more. Firefighters soon discovered that the rescue phase of their work was not required because of the work of 12-year-old Edwin Perez who woke up residents and helped evacuate up to 15 people before firefighters arrived. Chicago firefighters call the boy a hero, and Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Jose Santiago personally commended the boy at the scene after the fire was extinguished. No serious injuries were reported at the fire.
The fire quickly spread to a total of four closely-spaced two-story wood frame homes. The fire department response was elevated to a 2-11 at 10:09 AM and then a 3-11 at 10:36 AM with three extra ladder trucks called to the scene. The fire was fought with ten handlines and four master streams — large nozzles on ladder trucks or on the ground. The fire response was struck out at about 11:21 AM with firefighters working to cleanup and overhaul for several hours after the fire was extinguished. Three of the four homes were totally destroyed.
Edwin Perez first noticed the fire from his own kitchen, rescued people in his own house, and then rushed to rescue people from house were the fire was spreading. He credited his abilities in the rescue action Saturday to his fire safety instruction at his elementary school — Alexander Graham Bell Elementary School in the Canaryville neighborhood.
Chicago Fire Department Chicago Fire Media photos …
44th union four houses 211 pic.twitter.com/tcIP6bUGV1
— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) July 13, 2013
pic.twitter.com/mRN1AHHUga
— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) July 13, 2013
4421 4423 4425 4427. Union pic.twitter.com/SxNfCFUoq9
— Chicago Fire Media (@CFDMedia) July 13, 2013
CHICAGOFIREMAP.NET report …
MULTIPLE FRAMES 2.5-STORY 25X60 BURNING (CLOSE SPACING).
BC 15 RIT CHIEF
BC 15 BECOMES BOX CHIEF
BC 18 BECOMES RIT CHIEF
TRK 15 RIT TRK
ENG 29, TRK 33
29 TAKE THE REAR
WORKING FIRE AT 10:05 AM.
STILL AND BOX AT 10:06 AM
2-2-5 AND 2-7-3 ON THE STILL AND BOX
2.5 STORY 25X60 WITH 3 OF RESIDENCES BURNING INITIALLY
2-11 AT ABOUT 10:09 AM.
ENG 49 BACK DOWN FROM 44TH ST AND DROP TWO LINES
ENG 16 BACK DOWN FROM 45TH STREET AND DROP TWO LINES — CHANGED TO 44TH ST.
BC 17 TO THE 2-11 AND 2-1-23 TO THE 2-11.
2-7-10 TO THE 2-11.
BC 14 TO THE 2-11. 417 TO THE 2-11.
STAGING 43RD AND UNION PER BC 19.
BC 3 IS THE SAFETY CHIEF.
SQD 5A ACCESS 44TH PLACE FROM 43RD.
2-2-5 FOUR FRAME THREE LINES IN THE REAR AND TWO LINES IN THE FRONT. TWR 39 AT SECTOR 1. EXPOSURES ARE COVERED.
ENG 19 AS A 2-11 ENGINE ASSIGNED TO DROP A LINE IN THE REAR.
8 LINES IN SECTOR 1 AND 3 LINES IN SECTOR 3. ADDRESS INVOLVED 4425,4427,4423 WITH SQD 5 AND TWR 1 SET UP AT SECTOR 1.
4425 IS ORIGINAL FIRE BUILDING.
3-11 ON ORDERS OF 2-1-23 AT ABOUT 10:36 AM.
ENG 8 TO THE 3-11.
2-1-10 REQUESTS THREE ADDITIONAL TRUCKS AT ABOUT 10:49 AM. TRK 4 IS ONE OF THOSE TRUCKS. TRK 30 ALSO TAKING IN THE 2-11 AS SOON AS THEY FINISH HELPING AMB 19 ON ANOTHER CALL. TRK 50 ALSO ON THE CALL FOR THREE EXTRA TRUCKS.
6-4-19 AND 2-1-3 AT THE 3-11.
MAKING PROGRESS AT ABOUT 10:56 AM.
STRUCK OUT ABOUT 11:21 AM.
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See also …
Chicago Fire Department
