Fires Damage two homes in Orland Park, Il
Fires hit two homes in Orland Park over the Christmas Holidays, one on Christmas Day related to a fireplace and a second one the following day linked to a Christmas tree Orland Fire Prevent District officials reported.
Here are the two reports:
Fireplace fire in Orland Park home (Christmas Night Dec. 25)
Orland firefighters were called to the 14100 block of Michael Dr. in Orland Park, Illinois on Christmas night (Dec. 25, 2016) for a problem with a fireplace. Firefighters arrived within three minutes of receiving a 9-1-1 call from the resident just after 8:30 pm 12/25/2016.
First arriving units reported heavy smoke from the garage with a fire in the back of the garage.
Walls, chimney, and ceiling were quickly opened to expose the hidden fire and extinguish it in about ten minutes. The fire place in the home is located in the wall between the home and the garage.
Fire damage was limited to the inside of the frame chimney and some openings adjacent to it.
The residents were home at the time of the fire and escaped without injury.
Home fire in Orland Park suspected cause Fire Place, 14100 block of Michael Dr. in Orland Park. Photo courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection District
Orland Fire was assisted by Palos Fire and several other neighboring departments covered the Orland stations during the home fire response.
The official cause of the fire is being investigated.
One person injured in Orland home fire, Christmas tree suspected as cause
The Orland Fire Protection District was called to a house fire at 13800 Block of 80th Ave at 10:22 am on Monday December 26th. The first Engine on the scene observed fire from the rear of the house.
Firefighters entered the house from the front door and encountered heavy fire during their attack. Two additional lines were pulled and used to attack the rear deck area and the garage.
The fire was under control in less than an hour but the house sustained heavy fire and smoke damage throughout.
The home owner was transported to Loyola Hospital’s burn unit sufferingf rom injuries sustained while attempting to put out the fire.
Fire Chief Michael Schofield said that homeowners should address a fire if it is very small and they can use a fire extinguisher.
“The first thing someone should do is make sure everyone is out of the premises and accounted for, and call 9-1-1,” Schofield said. “Outside of a very small fire, don’t battle a blaze by yourself. Leave the premises and wait for firefighters to arrive.”
Schofield said the fire at the home was intense.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated but firefighters said it started in or near a live Christmas tree that was in the home.
The Red Cross is assisting the other family members with their needs.
Fire at Orland Park home in the garage , 13800 block of 80th Ave, that started near a Christmas Tree. Photo courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection District
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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