The seven-year-old son of a Chicago firefighter whose family were left injured by a blaze at their home has died.
Ezra Stewart was pronounced dead at 6:25 pm on Wednesday, a day after he was brought to Loyola University Medical Center with smoke inhalation.
The on-duty firefighter performed CPR on his 34-year-old wife after rushing to the fire at his home that left the woman and their three young children in critical condition. The three family members remain in grave condition.
Although he was on a different crew to the one sent to the 2500 block of North Rutherford Avenue on Tuesday night, he was driven to the scene by a department member after he heard his address come over the scanner.
When they arrived at the home in the Montclare neighborhood at around 9pm, crews found the firefighter’s wife and their three children suffering from smoke inhalation. The father performed CPR on his wife in a desperate bid to revive her.
Although the firefighter was on a different crew to the one sent to the 2500 block of North Rutherford Avenue on Tuesday night, he was driven to the scene by a department member after he heard his address come over the scanner
The mother and her children were taken from their bedrooms and hospitalized in critical condition from the smoke inhalation, authorities said. The family have two girls, aged two and seven, as well as the deceased.
A neighbor said he heard a loud bang and looked out to see flames ripping through the building. He said he called for assistance at that point.
‘I was shocked. There was so many firefighters leaving, so many police. It’s crazy. It hits so close to home, right across the street,’ neighbor Mildred Bran said.
Another neighbor, John Marlovitz, said: ‘I heard a pop, looked out my dining room window, and I see flames coming out of the kitchen window. Promptly called the fire department and they were here very quickly. They broke down the front door.’
‘The sirens kept coming,’ said neighbor Joel Rivera. ‘When I looked out, it was just the scene you don’t want to see … saw smoke coming from the roof – and the house was on fire.’
Other neighbors came out to watch when more emergency crews showed up and saw the paramedics rapidly performing CPR.
‘I did see what appeared to be an adult being resuscitated,’ Rivera said. ‘It did not look like that person was in good condition.’
‘I went home and I told my wife about what was going on and we prayed for the family,’ said neighbor Carlos Gomez.
Photos and video footage from the scene show a fire truck parked on a residential street, with more than a dozen and fire and police responders in front of a property.
The firefighters were huddled together at one point outside of the home to show solidarity with the husband, who works at Truck 55 in Edison Park.
Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said the blaze started in the kitchen and spread across the property.
Smoke detectors in the house were working, he added.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
When they arrived at the home in the Montclare neighborhood at around 9pm, crews found the firefighter’s wife and their three young children suffering from smoke inhalation. The father performed CPR on his wife in a desperate bid to revive her
On Wednesday morning, contractors boarded up broken windows and a door on the home’s porch, where an empty stroller remained.
A deceased pet was seen being removed from the property that morning, according to ABC7.
Later in the day, a fellow firefighter dropped off flowers to show his support.
Alderman of the 36th Ward, Gil Villegas, visited the house on Wednesday morning. He heard about the fire and planned to hand out smoke detectors in the neighborhood to remind residents to update their alarm batteries ahead of the time-change weekend.
‘We’re praying the wife and children get well and recover quickly,’ he said.
Villegas said he spoke to the family recently while canvassing for an election.
‘They’re a blue-collar, working-class family. The family was just your typical Chicago family in the bungalow beltway. They keep to themselves,’ Villegas said.
Ignite the Spirit – a charity established by the Chicago Fire Department – confirmed it is working to create a fund for the family.
A spokesperson with the Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2 said they are also working to put together a fund. Additional details will be released at a later date.