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Man Injured After Rescuing Pets From Burning Home

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Man Injured After Rescuing Pets From Burning Home

CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) ― A man was hospitalized with smoke inhalation Friday morning after he went back into his burning Northwest Side home to rescue the family pets.

Emergency crews responded about 5:30 a.m. to a fire at a 1 1/2-story bungalow at 3100 N. Parkside Ave., according to Fire Media Affairs Chief Kevin MacGregor.

A husband and wife, both in their 60s, safely escaped prior to firefighters arrival, but the husband went back into the house to rescue the family pets -- including cats, dogs and rabbits, MacGregor said.

Firefighters found the man overcome by smoke in the living room and paramedics took him in "stable" condition to Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center with smoke inhalation, MacGregor said. The woman was treated on the scene.

Paramedics were also examining one firefighter suffering from exhaustion, but he had not been hospitalized as of 6:30 a.m., according to MacGregor.

Most of the dogs were rescued, but the cats and rabbit were injured, MacGregor said.

Prelminary information indicates the fire, which caused extensive damage to back porch, kitchen area and rear rooms, may have been electrical, but an exact cause remained under investigation Friday morning.

The couple was awake when the fire started, but it was not yet known how they were alerted to the blaze, MacGregor said. It was also not immediately known if the house had working smoke detectors.

The fire was not elevated and was extinguished and crews were leaving the scene at 6:30 a.m.

Chicago Police temporarily closed North Parkside Avenue near the fire while crews battled the blaze, police said.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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