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Six Children Killed In Rogers Park Fire

Two Children Are Still in Critical Condition

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CHICAGO (CBS) ― Six children died Sunday morning after fire swept through their crowded Rogers Park apartment. An adult and three other children were also injured.

As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, it was a heartbreaking scene Sunday morning.

Neighbors say they saw children crying for help just after midnight. Those who escaped the apartment building held a blanket out and begged the children to jump from the third floor window.

"They said please help us, do something," said resident Marc Barksdale. "They refused to jump."

Firefighters carried out eight people, but six were children who did not survive. Those among the deceased include, 14-year-old Vanessa Ramirez, 12-year-old Eric, 10-year-old Suzette, 6-year-old Idaly, 3-year-old Kevin, and Escarlet Ramos, a 3-year-old girl who was staying overnight.

"I know those kids," said neighbor Reginald Washington. "It's sad they passed away."

The mother of 10 children, Agosta Ramirez, did get out with her three-month-old daughter, two of whom, ages 18 and 19, did not live at the apartment. Firefighters say the apartment didn't have electricity and the family burned candles for light. The fire started near the front door, trapping the victims.

"They were so poor, they used candles—so sad, a tragedy," said neighbor Ana Lugo.

"This is the largest multiple fatal fire in the city in years—I mean it's children," said Raymond Orozco Chicago Fire Commissioner.

Members of Good News Church on the North Side walked over and prayed for the family. Neighbors placed flowers and toys at the scene. A friend says the parents are deeply suffering.

"They are destroyed; they can't believe it," said Martina Rocha, the children's godmother. "They just cry and cry."

The fire broke out about 12:20 a.m. in a third floor apartment in a large apartment building at 7706 N. Marshfield Ave., according to Fire Media Director Larry Langford.

The fire was contained to the third floor apartment.

Al Tillman ran inside and got one of the children. "I ran past the fire and heard a child yelling to the left and I ran to the bedroom and carried the little child out of there and gave them to the paramedics. Police tried to lock me up, told me I can't go back. I was just trying to help," Tillman said.

Fire Commissioner said rescue crews were on the scene within three minutes. They broke through the roof and windows to try to reach the children.

When firefighters first arrived they saw one child at a third floor window, Langford said. Truck No. 25 extended its main ladder with a firefighter at the tip and rescued that child, he said. That child was one of the survivors from the blaze. At the same time, the primary search team went in through the front door of the building and quickly found five children together in the front area of the apartment where the fire started, Langford added.

Neighbors said firefighters carried the children out of the apartment building and laid them out in a makeshift triage on the sidewalk in front of the Stephen F. Gale Academy, the neighborhood elementary school.

Witnesses saw paramedics performing CPR on the children outside of the school.

"(There were) a total of 10 removals from this fire -- nine children and one adult. Six of the children were in cardiac arrest. We were just notified that five of the children died in area hospitals," Orozco said. A sixth died later Sunday.

Ten ambulances were sent to the scene. Orozco said although the common areas of the building had working smoke detectors the apartment itself did not.

Orozco emphasized that every home should have a working smoke detector and said residents who do not have one can get one from any firehouse in Chicago. "We need your help. We're doing everything we can to get the message out about smoke detectors," Orozco said. "Help us get that message out."

Witness LaTonya Rodgers said, "Especially when it involve(s) kids, you get emotional. I was hurt. I was clinging on my daughter every time they brought a kid out. It hit home. It could have been me."

The apartment had been without electricity for at least one month and the family had been using candles, according to Langford. Fire officials were reluctant Sunday morning to attribute the fire to the candles, as investigators from the Office of Fire Investigations and the police Bomb and Arson Unit were investigating the fire.

"What do you say?" said Orozco. "There's nothing you can say. It's been the worst in a long time. The only thing you can do is just pray for these poor people."

Witnesses report rescues were made by firefighters and civilians alike at the half-block long, multi-family red brick three-story apartment building. Witnesses said a neighborhood man ran up three flights of stairs and burst into the third floor apartment, where he rescued one child.

The American Red Cross was on the scene to provide clothing, food, assistance with shelter and counseling to affected residents of the building, according to Red Cross spokeswoman Martha Dittmar.

Early this morning, 40-year-old Agosta Ramirez, and her 3-month old baby were taken to Thorek Memorial Hospital for evaluation; they have since been released.

Two children remain hospitalized. One child is in critical condition at University of Chicago Hospital and one child is listed in critical condition at Loyola Medical Center.

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