Neighbor rescues trapped woman as garage fire threatens Arlington Heights home

An elderly Arlington Heights woman was rescued from her house by a neighbor Wednesday morning as flames and smoke were coming from a nearby garage, authorities said.

The fire in the one-car garage was reported around 10 a.m. on the 1100 block of North Dryden Avenue, according to the Arlington Heights Fire Department.

Though the garage is unattached, it is situated directly next to the house, and a breezeway connecting the two structures was built at some point, said Division Chief Christopher Rymut.

The neighbor who noticed the fire saw the woman trapped inside the house, and used a sledgehammer to force open the locked front door and carry her safely out of the home, Rymut said.

An elderly man escaped from the house on his own. He was evaluated at the scene by paramedics for smoke inhalation and transported to the hospital for further care, while the woman was evaluated and released at the scene, Rymut said.

First arriving crews began an aggressive attack on the fire and were able to contain it to the garage, preventing its spread to the main residence. A neighboring property sustained minor damage.

A vehicle was in the garage, but it’s unknown exactly where the fire started. Officials said the fire is still under investigation.