32 tenants displaced by Bensenville apartment fire

All 32 tenants of the Brentwood Apartments complex in Bensenville were forced from their homes Monday morning by a fire that caused extensive damage throughout the building.

Bensenville Fire District Chief Mike Spain said one firefighter was injured and a dog and two cats were killed in the blaze that started around 9 a.m. at 630 E. George St.

All of the residents escaped unharmed.

Spain said firefighters battled the blaze, which appears to have been caused by "careless smoking," for about 45 minutes. The entire building suffered smoke, fire and water damage.

"We got there right away and there were already flames shooting through the roof of the rear unit," Spain said. "It was very hot, very quick."

Resident John Samuel said he lived in the apartment where the fire started.

"My mom had a cigarette, it fell, and she thought it was out all the way, (but) it wasn't," he said. "That's pretty much what happened. I got out as fast as I could."

Mary Krzyminski said she lived in the unit directly below where the fire started. She wasn't home at the time but said she came back to find fire trucks and other emergency crews at the scene.

"It's a total loss," she said. "The whole building with 12 apartments are gone. We won't be able to get back in the building for months, they said."

Krzyminski said she's one of the lucky ones: She has renter's insurance and she can move in with either a daughter or sister who live nearby.

The American Red Cross has been called to assist the displaced families. Spain said Brentwood administrators also have been working to find empty units in nearby buildings to temporarily house tenants.

Village Manager Evan Summers said code enforcement officers quickly declared the east side of the building uninhabitable and were working Monday to determine the status of the west side of the building.