CHICAGO (WLS) — A fire erupted at a Northwest Side home on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in the death of a 19-year-old woman with disabilities and leaving a man hurt, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
CFD reported that the blaze began just before 1:30 p.m. in the second-floor unit of a North Park residential building on the 5200-block of North Bernard Street.
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Maria Nano, who resides down the street from the incident, mentioned she spoke with the victim’s aunt. The aunt shared that she and the victim’s mother left for work on Tuesday afternoon. About 15 minutes later, they received a call informing them that their apartment near Bernard and Foster was engulfed in flames.
“It’s such a terrible tragedy,” Nano said.
Harry Walker, who lives across the street, shot some video from across the street on his phone. It shows smoke pouring out of the unit with firefighters on the scene.
Firefighters found the woman’s body in the bedroom, where, officials said, she was trapped as the fire spread. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office later identified her as Sallina Sareth.
Officials said said the two other people inside the unit tried to help Sareth get out, but the smoke was very thick.
“The deceased young lady was handicapped and unable to help herself get out. They tried to get her out, but there was so much smoke,” Walker said.
Nano says she was told by relatives that those two people who tried to rescue Sareth the victim’s father and nurse.
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A man was taken to a Stroger Hospital with minor injuries, officials said.
“I’m praying for the family, and I hope that the community can help in whatever way they can,” Nano said.
Firefighters said they fought the fire aggressively, and they were able to contain the damage to the one building.
The fire has been extinguished.
How the fire started was not immediately clear. CFD is investigating.
Officials did not immediately provide further information about the fire.
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