Chicago Fire Deputy Commissioner of Operations Marc Ferman said an ambulance crew was returning from a run at about 7:15 a.m. when they witnessed a fire in a multi-unit apartment building in 500-block of West Marquette Road.
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When firefighters got to the scene, they were told a potential victim was still inside of the building.
"They quickly deployed hose lines as well as initiated a primary search," Ferman said.
They later found the girl unresponsive in her burning bunk bed. She was soon pronounced dead on the scene.
CFD gives update after girl, 5, killed in fire
Authorities said working smoke detectors were going off in the hallway, but that no smoke detectors were heard in the unit.
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Fire officials said a preliminary investigation revealed the cause of the fire to be careless use of smoking materials. All of this unfolded one day after Christmas.
"Looking in their eyes, coming out knowing that they couldn't get there in time, a lot of guys have children at home, thinking about just spending Christmas with your family and then showing up to work this morning and knowing that this family has just lost a child," Ferman said.
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A man, possibly the girl's father, was hurt while trying to get back inside the building to rescue the girl. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
"I can imagine myself doing that. That's your child, your grandchild, a child. So I mean, the future is them," neighbor Len Moffett said.
A family of five, a mom, dad and their three young children, including an infant, lived in the home.
No other injuries were reported.
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"It's just unbelievable," Moffett said. "My dog be barking at the little kids that be up in the window all the time."
The view from Moffett's window will never be the same.
"It's just unfortunate for that family over there. It's just not a really good thing, the day after Christmas and what not," he said.
Fire investigators are looking into reports that a child might've been playing with a lighter.
"I don't wish that on nobody, man. We have to be more careful," neighbor Michael Furdge said. "Just to be burnt out, got to find someplace to stay and losing a life. That's just too much right after the holiday, too."
A memorial could be seen near the entrance of the burned out apartment complex.
"Just try to be strong and be there for each other, and have a lot of love for each other and just pray," Furdge said.
The girl had not been publicly identified later Tuesday.