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Firefighters rescued four people from an
apartment building fire on West Avenue Sunday.
The late-morning blaze was confined to
a fourth-floor apartment in the four-story building at 327
West Ave., according to fire officials. The building has
38 apartments and 34 are rented, owners told fire officials.
A male tenant suffered minor smoke inhalation
and was taken to Park Ridge Hospital for treatment, said
an official of Rural/Metro Medical Services.
A firefighter was treated at the scene for
a cut hand, said Capt. Sam Mitrano.
The Fire Department was alerted at 11:05
a.m. Units arrived at the scene two minutes later to find
flames coming from the apartment windows, Mitrano said.
A second alarm was called in because of
the "high life hazard," he said.
The fire was declared under control at
11:27 a.m., but the fourth floor sustained heavy smoke and
heat damage.
The fire has been ruled accidental, Mitrano
said. The
cause was the improper use of an extension cord. The cord
had been run under a rug, he said.
The fire happened in the apartment of the
man who suffered smoke inhalation. He had tried to put the
fire out himself, Mitrano said, adding a warning: "By delaying
calling 911 you're putting more (human) life at risk."
The apartment's other tenant was not home
at the time.
The American Red Cross was arranging emergency
shelter for the two people, Mitrano said.
Reprinted With Permition
From The Democrat and Chronicle
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