Crews were able to get the ladder up on the side of the home and bring him to safety.
"It was fire that started downstairs in the basement and smoke was so strong I just had to hang my way out the window until the fire department came and rescued me," said John Banks, rescued by Chcago firefighters.Six other people in the house got out on their own unhurt.
Firefighters say there were no working smoke detectors in the house.
The cause is unknown.