Mar 10, 2007 11:57 pm US/Central
Family of Fire Victim Grieves
Police Suspect Woman Set Small FIres That Killed 4
CBS 2's Rafael Romo, Pamela Jones and the STNG Wire and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Four people are dead following a fatal fire in Wrigleyville and Saturday evening, investigators suspect arson.
CBS 2's Pamela Jones reports police are looking for a homeless woman in connection with this and other fires.
"By the time we got here, we knew. We were confirmed that Jennifer was one of the victims," said Cheryl Greenlee, aunt of victim, Jennifer Carlson.
Carlson's family is grieving Saturday evening. They say she was one of the four victims who died in the fire that sent neighbors scrambling to escape.
"It's a really intense situation. It's terrifying to see the building on fire," said resident Matt Devine."I don't know if I can really characterize the situation. It's crazy!"
Police believe the fire may be connected to a series of others set nearby. They're going door to door handing out flyers in the search for a possible suspect. They've canvassed three neighborhoods already.
It's a situation that has residents in the Wrigleyville neighborhood on edge.
"This is very scary if indeed there is something suspicious going on," said area resident Pamela Murphy.
Belmont Area detectives are looking for a black female, 5 ft., 8-inches, 110-120 pounds, 30 to 40 years old, with an unkempt appearance, last seen wearing a teal blue shirt, grey sweatpants and clear plastic bags on her feet, according to a police alert.
Three small fires were set in the 3500 block of North Reta Avenue, and a fatal fire claimed four lives at 3553 N. Fremont St. Chicago police are looking into whether the North Side fires are connected as they are all about half a block from the Fremont St. fire.
The fires all started in stairwells from paper products, police News Affairs Director Monique Bond said. The fire at Fremont St., started at about 7 a.m. in a three-story, 18-unit apartment building about a block from Wrigley Field. It killed three men and one woman.
The fire was struck at about 7:45 a.m., according to Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford. The Chicago Police Department's Bomb and Arson Unit is investigating, Langford said. The unit routinely is called to fires when fatalities are involved.
Another man in his 40s was found by firefighters after possibly jumping from a third-floor window, Langford said. The man suffered burns and a broken leg, and is in critical condition at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, he said. Several firefighters suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation.
Police believe that perhaps the arson suspect was setting fires to keep warm.
Police advise people to call police 911 and report information if they see the arson suspect. People with information could also contact the Belmont Area Detective Division at (312) 744-8261.
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