Wheelchair user killed, 2 others injured in Woodstock apartment building fire
WOODSTOCK, Ill. (WLS) -- Neighbors are mourning the loss of a beloved resident in Woodstock.
An apartment building caught fire late Tuesday night, leaving one man dead and two others hurt.
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Pieces of siding and debris have been left scattered on the ground. The glass windows are boarded up, as investigators survey the scene of a deadly fire.
"Just came home and the whole roof was engulfed in flames," said Erik Breceda, who lives in the apartment complex.
Firefighters responded at about 10:13 p.m. to a fire in the 700-block of St. John's Road. They arrived on the scene to find heavy fire coming from the two-story apartment complex.
Crews said it spread rapidly to the attic from the man's first-floor apartment, and traveled throughout the building.
"I know that a lot of people just lost everything," said Cassandra Janis, who lives next door. "I know this side of the building there might be some stuff salvageable, but it's just devastating."
More than 20 neighboring fire departments responded to help as people were trapped inside.
One man died in the fire, officials said. Albert McClinton called him his friend.
"It's just heartbreaking, yeah," McClinton said.
McClinton said the man had a disability. He removed his friend's wheelchair from the rubble and debris Wednesday morning.
The victim's roommate and caretaker was also brought to the hospital, after suffering from smoke inhalation, family said.
Her daughter came to the scene, and said her mother was transferred to Loyola's burn unit. She said the two were best friends and roommates, and did everything together.
The caretaker was in critical condition later Wednesday, Woodstock fire officials said.
"He was a good guy; he was an artist," McClinton said. "He liked to paint; that's for sure. He painted my baby a picture, and I got it hanging on her wall."
A third person was treated for another medical emergency.
The American Red Cross is now helping those affected at a makeshift shelter at St. John's Lutheran Church, located at 701 St. John's Road.
"We have about 40 individuals who are displaced; so, throughout the day, we may see an influx of individuals needing support from the Red Cross," Red Cross volunteer Michelle Archambeau said.
Officials say the building lacked a sprinkler and central smoke alarm system. Some residents said they got out safely because of their neighbors.
"Those units are very damaged, and they will not be able to return," Red Cross volunteer Fernanda Kuzuhara said. "So we are open to receive more people."
Katherine Sandy said she was watching a movie Tuesday night, when she heard a faint beeping noise, but didn't know what it was.
"I heard my neighbor's son pounding on the door, saying, 'we need to get out. There's a fire. The building's on fire,'" Sandy said.
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Sandy said she scrambled to get both her young sons up and out of the apartment. The hallway was black with smoke.
Once outside, she said flames were tearing through the west wing of the two-story apartment building.
"Hearing my oldest son saying, 'mom, our home is on fire.' It was heartbreaking," Sandy said.
One of their cats they brought to safety ran off, and is still missing.
Sandy and her husband returned to the area to look for the cat.
They were also able to get back into their unit in the east wing of the building and pack up some of their things.
"It is just destroyed, everything, a lot of smoke damage. Everything is kind of ruined," Jason Hypes said.
Jaicia Walden retrieved some of her belongings, and is heading to her parent's house.
She said she also heard the faint beeping, and that it was too dark and smoky to make it down the stairs. Instead, she waited for help on her balcony.
"Lovely firemen came over with a ladder and got me down," Walden said.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation by the State Fire Marshal.
