Alert neighbors, quick response save family from fire in Orland

Alert neighbors and a fast response from the Orland Fire Protection District played major roles in saving the lives of a family and preventing further damage to a home where a fire broke out early on July 5.

Acting Fire Chief Raymond L. Kay credited the neighbors and the Fire District response with keeping the fire damage to a minimum and savings lives. Orland Park police were also fast on the scene alerting the homeowners and family.

Chief Kay said the family of seven including three young children were asleep when the fire broke out in the home’s attached a garage area around 1:16a.m. The first fire truck arrived at the scene at the corner of Clearview and Terry Drive at 1:19 a.m. Firefighters discovered the two car garage in heavy fire.

Firefighters quickly contained the fire preventing it from expanding into the living areas, Chief Kay said.

“The owners, who were asleep, were alerted to the fire by neighbors pounding on the front door,” Chief Kay said.

“It was 1:15 in the morning and the residents were sleeping. Fortunately, the neighbors saw this. Had the neighbors not responded and had this fire gone unchecked, it would have gotten in to the living area of the house. I think our quick response and the role of the neighbors and the police were clearly instrumental in saving those lives.”

Kay said none of the occupants, including four adults and three children, were injured.

He said that the investigation has not identified a cause but he could not rule out the fire being started by any fireworks from the Fourth of July celebrations that evening.

“The construction features of the home prevented smoke and fire from entering the living areas and that’s just a reminder about how important these features are to protecting lives,”  Chief Kay said.

The quick response of multiple Orland FPD fire, police and EMS companies provided for simultaneous search and rescue, fire extinguishment and fire extension operations, Chief Kay explained. These simultaneous actions prevent the loss of life and the protection of property.