Fire empties Libertyville apartment building

A Tuesday afternoon fire emptied a Libertyville apartment building and hospitalized five people.

The cause of the fire at the Cook Apartments, 201 E. Cook Ave., is still under investigation.

At least 150 people live in the building, which has a large population of senior citizens.

A resident of the second floor in the 86-unit building called for help at 3:35 p.m. Flames showed from at least two windows for a time as firefighters from several departments responded to the call for mutual aid, forcing firefighters to call for 10 additional ambulances.

"It's the most highly occupied building with the most number of rescues and no fatalities that I've been involved with," said Assistant Fire Chief Mike Cloe, a 20-year veteran of the Libertyville department.

Five people were taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for smoke inhalation, but none of their injuries were life-threatening, Cloe said.

Some residents left on their own, while some seniors seated in chairs were carried out by firefighters. About 30 people were rescued from balconies, Cloe said. Other residents huddled in the lobby of the Libertyville police station, which is across the street, and a temporary shelter was set up at the nearby Libertyville Civic Center.

"The smoke on the third floor was really, really bad," said Lee Macadam, who has lived in the building for eight years. She said she was alerted to the emergency when neighbors banged on her door.

"I helped a 10-year-old boy out of the building. He was alone."

Aaron Staller, 26, moved into the building a month ago. He said he heard the building's fire alarm and left.

"I grabbed my cell phone and guitar and got out of there," Staller said. He described the resident exit as orderly.

Fire left the building uninhabitable, so it is not clear how soon residents can return home. But at least seven families have been offered a discounted rate at the nearby Candlewood Suites in Libertyville. Guy Schumacher, principal of Butterfield School in Libertyville, made an arrangement with the hotel to put up any Butterfield family that needs a place to stay.

"The folks at Candlewood have been very gracious to us over the years," Schumacher said. "They've offered discount rates to any of our teachers who have been stranded by snow. They are great neighbors."

Candlewood front desk manager Mark Marabella said he expected a number of families to be checking in Tuesday night.

Cook Apartments manager Laura Palumbo said, "This is the first time in 18 years anything like this has happened. I just want to know my tenants are OK."

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