16 residents were left displaced, with one suffering smoke inhalation, after a fire believed to be electrical in nature damaged an apartment building in Winthrop Harbor Tuesday evening.
The Winthrop Harbor Police Department, Winthrop Harbor Fire Department and other area fire departments responded around 8:35 p.m. Tuesday to an apartment building in the 1000 block of Sheridan Road in Winthrop Harbor for a report of a structure fire.
A resident called 911 after they noticed smoke and heard crackling in the walls.
Firefighters arrived to find light smoke inside the two-story apartment building, Winthrop Harbor Fire Chief Rocco Campanella said.
“Crews quickly determined that a significant fire was burning inside the walls of the building,” Campanella said.
Due to the size and construction of the building, a Working Still Alarm and then a box alarm through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was requested, bringing in additional firefighting resources from departments in Lake County and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.
Firefighters opened walls and ceilings in multiple apartment units to expose and extinguish the hidden fire, Campanella said.
Crews were able to contain the fire to two units and prevent the fire from spreading to the second floor.
Utility crews from North Shore Gas and ComEd responded.
An elderly resident was evaluated by paramedics for smoke inhalation, but they were not transported to the hospital, Campanella said.
No other injuries were reported.
Though only two apartment units sustained fire damage, the entire building was deemed uninhabitable due to safety concerns.
“Because of electrical issues discovered during the incident, the entire building has been declared uninhabitable until qualified electricians and building inspectors determine it is safe for occupancy,” Campanella said.
A total of 16 residents from the building were displaced, and the American Red Cross is working to provide disaster relief.
Fire investigators from multiple departments also responded to the scene.
Campanella credited the 911 caller’s quick report with giving firefighters an edge in stopping the fire from spreading further.
“The Winthrop Harbor Fire Department reminds everyone that working smoke detectors and calling 911 immediately at the first sign of smoke or unusual conditions are essential to protecting lives and limiting property damage,” Campanella said.
“In this incident, the tenant’s quick call after noticing smoke and hearing crackling in the walls helped firefighters stop the fire before it spread further.”
The fire remains under investigation, but authorities believe it was electrical in nature.