Cats killed, 2 residents injured in Gage Park house fire: CFD

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two people are hospitalized and several cats died in a Southwest Side house fire Tuesday, Chicago fire officials said.

Chicago fire crews were on the scene about 11 a.m. in the 5200-block of South Rockwell Street in the city's Gage Park neighborhood.

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Two of the three people home at the time of the fire were taken to Stroger Hospital.

One person was in fair condition, and the other suffered severe smoke inhalation, Chicago fire officials said. The second person had gone back into the home to save some of the family's cats.

The Chicago Fire Department said five cats survived, but 10 or more had been in the home.

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Neighbors said there were between 15 and 20 of the animals.

Chicago fire officials said hoarding conditions hampered firefighters' efforts.

Some cats died from smoke inhalation, but several cats were revived by firefighters with pet masks and oxygen, fire officials said.

Neighbors jumped into action to try to help. Manny Salgado said the fire woke him.

"I heard something popping, and I just saw, looked out the window. Well, I got cameras. And, as soon as I looked out, I saw flames coming out of the windows," Salgado said. "Sorry for the cats. You know, it's like I think four or five cats right there, covered up. There's another four over there next-door."

Salgado said, with no time to put on a coat and no sign of fire trucks yet, he rushed outside to grab his garden hose, and started spraying down the fire coming out the front windows of his next-door neighbor's home.

"Man, it was shocking to me to just wake up to see this, you know. My instinct was like, I don't want the fire to keep going to the next houses. So, I just grabbed the water hose and start spraying it down," Salgado said.

Salgado said, within minutes, fire crews showed up, immediately hosing down the flames.

Neighbors said three people were home at the time the fire started. One made it out with the help of another neighbor, Robert Torres.

"I see Manny out there with the water hose, and ran to the back. And, Frank came out the door. Next thing I know, he's walking back. You had to grab a hold of him. Come on, Frank," Torres said.

The home appeared to have sustained serious damage in the fire.

It was not clear how the blaze started.