Joliet battalion fire chief rescues child, mother from apartment fire

A Joliet battalion fire chief rescued a mother and her 3-year-old child from a fire that destroyed the upper unit of an apartment building on Essington Road.

At 8:17 a.m. on Tuesday, firefighters responded to a heavy fire at the building at 115 Essington Road, according to a statement from the Joliet Fire Department.

Joliet Battalion Fire Chief Dan Berta was returning from a vehicle crash on Interstate 80 when the initial alarm was received about the fire and he was the first one on the scene, fire officials said.

Berta notified incoming units that three people – a mother, father and 3-year-old child – were trapped on the third-story balcony, fire officials said.

A maintenance worker on scene retrieved an extension ladder from a nearby shed and joined Berta in accessing the third-floor balcony together, fire officials said.

As they were positioning the ladder, a resident was already hanging from the balcony and attempted to lower himself to the second-floor balcony by holding onto the railing, fire officials said.

But he lost his grip and fell to the ground.

Berta instructed the mother to remain where she was as he climbed the ladder to rescue the 3-year-old child, fire officials said. The child was brought safely to the ground.

Berta then returned up the ladder and helped the mother over the railing and assisted her down, fire officials said.

The resident who fell, along with the mother and child, were evaluated at the scene but refused further medical treatment, fire officials said.

[ PHOTOS: Joliet apartment building fire ]

Seven residents were treated for minor injuries at the scene and all residents were accounted for, fire officials said.

About 15 people were in the apartment building at the time of the incident, according to fire officials. All other occupants were able to evacuate safely on their own. The building contained 12 residential units, housing a total of 39 people, fire officials said.

“There were 39 residents displaced. All residents have been relocated,” Joliet Fire Chief Jeff Carey said.

No firefighters were injured in the scene.

Staff with the Joliet Office of Emergency and Disaster Management responded to the scene to help with the relocation of displaced residents.