Jan 8, 2009 8:41 pm US/Central
1 Killed, 2 Injured In Brookfield Fire
BROOKFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ―
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A 71-year-old man died and two of his grandchildren were seriously injured in a fire Thursday evening in Brookfield.
CBS
A 71-year-old grandfather died Thursday night and two of his grandchildren were seriously injured in a house fire in west suburban Brookfield Thursday night.
Police say Henry Allison was home with his 4-year-old grandson, Calvin Robinson, and his 4-month-old granddaughter, Lylian Robinson, when the fire broke out at the house, in the 3500 block of Park Avenue.
Allison did not make it out alive, and his two grandchildren were in the ICU, in the burn unit, at Loyola University Medical Center.
A desperate call for help from inside the house alerted police to the blaze.
"The dispatcher just told me he was just in a panic and he was saying he needed help, he needed help, and there was a fire in the house," Police Chief Steven Stelter said.
Police believe Allison made the call. Firefighters say by the time they arrived, the house was in flames.
"Searches were under way. Three victims were found," Fire Chief Pat Lenzi said.
The children's mother and 10-year-old brother, Michael, were not at home at the time. The cause was unknown, but witness Krista Lapiana said she'd never seen anything like it.
"It was huge," she said. "It was really, really in the back … I think they might have had problems with the water."
Firefighters fought the blaze, which started after 6 p.m., in frigid conditions. Neighbors couldn't believe the loss.
Police say Allison had several health problems and was on oxygen. It's not clear if that had anything to do with the fire.
STNG Wire contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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