Three Mundelein firefighters were given valor awards this week for rescuing two residents, who had to be hospitalized, from a house fire near Mundelein last summer.
The Mundelein Fire Department and Countryside Fire Protection District received a call of a structure fire in the 21800 block of West Route 60 in unincorporated Mundelein around 3:25 a.m. on August 7.
A Mundelein engine crew, consisting of firefighter-paramedic Damian Iskra, firefighter-paramedic Scott Huber, and firefighter-paramedic Jonathan Sinclair, responded.
The crew was advised while responding that there were heavy smoke and fire conditions.
They were also told that two victims were trapped on the second floor of the home.
Fire officials said Iskra knew the addresses in this unincorporated area can be difficult to see from the roadway so he used a mapping program.
Iskra used the program to see an exterior view of the property’s two white stone pillars near the roadway in order to find the correct location.
The Mundelein crew was the first to arrive. They spotted two residents with their heads outside of a second-floor window with heavy smoke conditions.
The two residents had been asleep but woke up after their smoke detectors were activated, Countryside Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Jason Masheris said at the time.
Huber placed two ladders beneath the window sill to be used for the rescue.
Iskra and Sinclair donned their protective SCBA units and quickly climbed the ladder and removed the first victim.
The second victim was overcome by smoke and fell back into the room unconscious, fire officials said.
Iskra entered the window and located and moved the unconscious victim back to the window for removal by Sinclar and Huber.
Iskra then searched the room for additional victims before exiting.
Both victims were transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for treatment. Both of them survived the fire.
The area does not have fire hydrants so firefighters had to use water tender trucks to haul water to the scene.
Firefighters entered the residence and located a fire in the basement of the home that had traveled through the house.
On Tuesday, Iskra, Huber and Sinclair were nominated and received a Valor Award from the 100 Club of Illinois.
“The department and its members are extremely proud of their efforts and congratulate them on receiving the Valor Award,” the Mundelein Fire Department said Wednesday.
The trio was also recognized for their efforts at a Mundelein Village Board meeting in September.
Each received a Unit Citation for “exhibiting exceptional skill and conduct during an emergency incident.”
Countryside Fire Chief Chuck Smith spoke at the meeting and praised the collaborative efforts of the crew and the other responding agencies.