House fire in Wilmette, 7-30-16

This report comes from Larry Shapiro:

Wilmette firefighters were dispatched to 1826 Elmwood Avenue on Saturday afternoon in response to a reported house fire. Police officers arrived first and noticed smoke coming from the property. The incident was escalated to a Code 4, indicating a working fire, before the fire department could arrive on scene. When the first engine unit reached the location, they found that the residents had already evacuated the home. Firefighters proceeded to the second floor and discovered burning drapes and a small fire, though the entire house was filled with heavy smoke.

Winnetka firefighters successfully rescued a cat that was in distress during the incident. The animal was given oxygen and later transported to a local veterinarian by Wilmette police officers. One of the elderly residents suffered a minor hand burn and both individuals were taken to Skokie Hospital for treatment. Fortunately, the fire was quickly brought under control, and several mutual aid units were able to return to their stations shortly after.

The units responding to the scene included Wilmette Battalion 26, Tower 26, Engine 27, along with Ambulances 26 and 27. Additional support came from Winnetka Engine 28, Glenview Engine 13, Skokie Squad 18, Northfield Truck 29, Evanston Truck 23, and Glencoe Ambulance 30.