North Park, Chicago fire: Family speaks out after disabled woman Sallina Sareth killed in fire on North Bernard Street | EXCLUSIVE
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO (WLS) — An exclusive interview with ABC7 was given by a Chicago family on Wednesday, following the tragic death of a 19-year-old woman with disabilities and the injury of a man due to a fire on the city’s Northwest Side.

According to the CFD, the fire ignited shortly before 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the second-floor unit of a residential building located in the 5200 block of North Bernard Street in North Park.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The family of Sallina Sareth shared with ABC7 that she had been living with cerebral palsy. Unable to speak or walk, she was at home with her father and a nurse when the fire spread, ultimately trapping her in her room.”

“She can’t even say anything,” sister Rath Tep said. “How would we know? She must’ve suffered so much.”

There were gut-wrenching cries from her family as they walked through the burned remains of their apartment, and the bed where Sareth was found was left scorched.

“She’s like a daughter to me, because I’ve been watching her since I was young until now, and I’m not there when she needed me the most,” Tep said.

“The pain she must’ve felt,” brother Richard Sareth said. “And the thought that she was all alone in this situation.”

The 19-year-old woman was killed in the devastating fire Tuesday inside the family’s North Park apartment while she was home with her father and nurse. The flames somehow sparked in the front living room before quickly spreading.

“I said, ‘Please! I want inside to see my daughter. Please, let me in! Let me in!'” mother Samoeun Vuth said. “They said, ‘No!'”

The family said her father was able to get to her but needed help taking out her trachea tube. That’s when he tried to get the nurse’s help, who family members said was in another room before running out to safety.

“She was in a moment of panic, which made her leave our sister behind,” Richard Sareth said. “Because she wasn’t trained well, it cost the life of someone we loved.”

ABC7 has reached out to Aveanna Healthcare, the company the family said the nurse works for, but have not heard back.

The family is raising funds for her pending funeral through a GoFundMe page.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Donald Trump speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.

Trump Lashes Out: Putin Wants to Continue Killing in Ukraine, Claims He’s ‘Very Unhappy’ After Hour-Long Call with Vladimir

Donald Trump sounded a grim alarm over Putin’s intentions to “continue the…
Tom Brady parties with Dakota Johnson, Kate Hudson on yacht

Tom Brady Celebrates on a Yacht with Dakota Johnson and Kate Hudson

Summer’s here — and these stars are sizzling. Tom Brady was seen…
Kerrville, Texas flooding: Camp girls missing after Guadalupe River flood waters hit Camp Mystic; at least 27 dead

Tragic Flood in Kerrville, Texas: Girls Missing from Camp Mystic After Guadalupe River Overflow; Death Toll Rises to 27

In KERRVILLE, Texas, search efforts continued Saturday as rescuers worked to locate…
I overheard my brother fighting with his wife — should I say something?

I overheard my brother arguing with his wife — should I intervene or stay out of it?

DEAR ABBY: I inadvertently received a voicemail from my brother that captured…
Boss under fire after texts to pregnant employee revealed

Manager Faces Backlash After Texts to Pregnant Employee Exposed

An awkward text exchange between a pregnant employee and her boss over…
Square Roots Festival 2025: Live music festival returns to Lincoln Square, Chicago with bands, craft beers and family fun

Square Roots Festival 2025: Lincoln Square, Chicago Welcomes Back Live Music, Craft Beers, and Family Fun

CHICAGO (WLS) — The Square Roots festival is set to return from…
Girl clinging to a tree in floodwaters.

22-Year-Old Woman Rescued After Being Carried 20 Miles by Texas Floods; 25 Camp Children Still Missing

A YOUNG woman was miraculously rescued after being swept 20 miles downriver…
Texas floods kill at least 24; search for missing continues

At Least 24 Dead in Texas Floods; Search for Missing People Ongoing

The destructive force of the fast-rising waters just before dawn Friday washed…
Parents desperately seeking answers on missing campers after Texas flood

Identities Released of Three Campers Who Died as Texas Flood Death Toll Increases

Three young girls were found dead after a devastating flood swept through…
Donald and Melania Trump on a White House balcony with an American flag.

Donald and Melania Trump Charm Audience with Heartwarming Balcony Appearance Amid Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration

DONALD Trump and Melania have warmed hearts with their PDA-packed appearance while…

Multiple Cities Experience Shootings and Fireworks Accident on July Fourth Holiday

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (AP) — This year’s Fourth of July holiday saw numerous…
Body found in search for Brian Tarrence in Turks and Caicos

A Body Discovered During Search for Brian Tarrence in Turks and Caicos

A decomposed body has been discovered amid the search efforts for a…