The blaze broke out in the 9400-block of Margail Avenue, between suburban Des Plaines and Park Ridge.
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Doorbell camera obtained exclusively by ABC7 captured a sudden apparent explosion before flames began sweeping through the townhome.
Doorbell cam captures apparent explosion before fire
"We just ran out to really check on our neighbors and just make sure they were OK," said neighbor Nica Simmons.
Officials said the fire started just after 4 p.m. in one unit before spreading to three others. The roof caved in.
"We were just trying to drive through and then this happened. It was crazy. We got stuck. We couldn't leave," said Lorenz Tauzon, who happened to be driving through the area at the time of the fire.
The fire was struck out before 7 p.m., with firefighter remaining on scene to monitor for hotspots.
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Firefighter injured as massive fire rips through multiple townhomes in Maine Township
The firefighter received some burns during firefighting efforts and was taken to hospital for treatment after fire was out, officials said.
At least one townhome was gutted by the fire as neighbors watched from afar. Four families have been displaced, officials said. Pace provided warming buses until all the displaced residents had secured somewhere to stay.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Fire officials said they are still trying to determine if there were any working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors inside these townhomes.