All rescued from Hanover Park building fire

Five people who were trapped inside a burning apartment building in Hanover Park — including at least two children — were rescued early Friday evening, eyewitnesses said.

The structure fire broke out at 5:48 p.m. in a first-floor bedroom of a three-story apartment building at 2081 Narcissus Ave., authorities said.

Four people who live on the second floor were able to get out on their own, but fire crews had to extend ladders to reach those on the top floor.

Rosa Benitez, 16, was walking with her mother at the nearby Parkwood Elementary School playground when they saw smoke rising from the apartment building. She said they ran to the building and called 911.

“We saw a little girl about to jump out from the third floor,” she said. “People were telling her not to jump.”

Alex Garcia, 15, who lives down the block, also heard the victims calling for help.

“They were crying. They were trying to get out,” he said.

Craig Consoer of Streamwood was also one of the first eyewitnesses on scene, after he heard about the fire on a police scanner he owns. He said once firefighters put the ladders up on the west side of the building, it took only about five minutes to get all the residents out.

“Once they got the ladders up, it was quick. They were hustling them down. The first girl that came out, you could tell she was really shook up,” Consoer said.

Three of those rescued were transported to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates to be treated for smoke inhalation, said Hanover Park Fire Chief Craig Haigh. No other injuries were reported.

Maria Camarena, 17, says the fire started in her family’s apartment on the east side of the building. Camarena said her mother, 4-year-old brother and 6-year-old sister were home at time, but she couldn’t find any of them when she arrived to the scene.

“I couldn’t believe it. I came running home and saw smoke coming up. I didn’t know where my mom was. I was asking people where she was,” Camarena said.

But then Camarena saw her mom being rescued. She said all three family members were taken to the hospital as a precaution.

Haigh said the fire was fully extinguished by 7:14 p.m.

Dozens of onlookers remained on the residential block Friday night as fire crews cleaned up. The six-unit apartment building sustained the most damage on its east side, where the fire had originated. Windows were shattered in nearly all the units, with black-colored brick serving as a reminder of the thick smoke escaped moments before.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, Haigh said.

Fire departments from Bartlett, Streamwood, Roselle, Bloomingdale, South Elgin and Hoffman Estates responded to the scene to assist with the response.