A man was killed, two others were hospitalized and 30 people were displaced after an apartment complex in the northwest suburbs went up in flames. Lisa Chavarria has more.
One person was killed, two others were hospitalized and more than 30 people were displaced after an apartment complex caught fire Tuesday night in the suburban Woodstock officials said.
As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, crews were still on the scene working to board up the apartment complex, and officials asked the public to avoid the area until further notice.
The fire began just after 10 p.m. Tuesday at a two-story apartment complex in the 700 block of St. John's Road in Woodstock, the Woodstock Fire Rescue District said.
According to officials, 12 of the 24-unit building suffered significant fire damage. At one point, the roof of the building had become engulfed in flames, fire officials and witnesses told NBC 5's Lisa Chavarria.
Three people were transported to the hospital with injuries, officials said, including a woman and a baby who were treated for smoke inhalation.
A man in a wheelchair was also transported to the hospital where he later died, officials said.
According to authorities, firefighters found the man in the first-floor hallway. Firefighters who rescued the man said they had a difficult time seeing him due to floor-to-ceiling smoke.
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"The smoke was super thick, there was dogs they were trying to get out and cats," nearby resident Cassandra Janis said. "I know that a lot of people just lost everything."
As many as 30 people were displaced, officials said, adding that a temporary relocation center had been set up at St. John's Lutheran Church, at 401 St. Johns Road in Woodstock. The Red Cross was also on site, officials said.
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“I know this side of the building there might be some stuff salvageable, but it’s just devastating that this is happening," Janis said. "I feel so bad for these people.”
As of Wednesday morning, the cause of the fire remained under investigation by the Woodstock Fire District, the Woodstock Police Department and the State Fire Marshall.
