Three individuals required hospitalization, and two firefighters received medical evaluations after flames erupted through the roof of a suburban apartment building on Thursday, according to officials.
The fire ignited shortly after 10 a.m. at the Windsor Lakes Apartment Homes, situated at 7351 Woodward Ave. in Woodridge. The blaze originated during the installation of a new gas meter. Residents of the complex reported hearing a sharp snap followed by an explosion before smoke filled the area.
Robert Lopez, observing from his second-floor window, witnessed the fire unfold. “All of a sudden, I heard something snap and I heard a loud hissing noise,” Lopez said. “It didn’t catch fire right away. As I was coming down the stairs — we were coming down the stairs — that’s when it caught fire.”
Kayla Dotson, a fellow resident, was asleep when a neighbor’s urgent knocking awakened her. She instructed her sister to evacuate the building immediately before securing her dog, Winter, and exiting to safety.
“Where am I going to go? If my apartment is ruined, where am I going to go?” she questioned.
Officials reported that the fire affected more than 40 units within the complex.
Aerial footage captured by NBC Chicago Sky 5 documented the extent of the blaze. Chopper reporter Mike Lorber detected the smell of gas while hovering above the scene. Video footage depicted firefighters deploying hoses to extinguish flames engulfing a utility box outside the structure.
Authorities closed a section of northbound Woodward Avenue for several hours during the emergency response and investigation. The Village of Woodridge urged residents to avoid the area while the investigation remained ongoing.
Residents reported a significant delay before gas service was terminated. Nicor crews arrived on scene as part of the investigation, though officials have not yet released an official determination regarding the cause of the fire.
“It was pretty apparent that there was some role that natural gas did play into this fire. But the actual cause is going to be undetermined at this point until the investigators can get through to the scene and complete their investigation,” stated Jimmy Lahanis, Chief of the Woodridge Fire Protection District.
Lahanis further indicated that the firefighters’ efforts were “hampered” by the necessity of waiting for utility crews to arrive and secure the gas supply from the building’s exterior.
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