VIDEO (AUDIO WARNING LOUD ALARM) Fire at Lake Louise apartments on Wilke Road affected two units Friday night. Firefighters applied an aggressive interior attack and successfully stopped the fire from spreading to a major fire in the two-story, 24-unit condominium building.
Palatine police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 8:21 PM Friday to a report of an apartment fire at 516 North Wilke Road Palatine, IL. Police and firefighter/paramedics received multiple reports that flames were coming out of a window. Apparently everyone was evacuated from the building, but firefighters reported heavy fire by the front door.
Two apartments were involved with fire — one on the first floor and one on the second floor. The fire also spread to the attic. Fire command reported three lines on the fire with firefighters working on the first and second floor. The first fire companies pulled a 2 1⁄2” hose line and aggressively attacked the fire from the exterior, while other firefighters stretched a supply line to a fire hydrant and pulled two 1 3⁄4” hose lines into the building for interior attack of the fires on the two floors.
Main fire attack was on the first floor while the truck company prepared to open the roof for ventilation. Firefighters accessed the roof with the aerial tower and cut a ventilation hole to release heat, smoke and fire gases accumulating in the attic. Firefighters also searched the smoke-charged building for any trapped occupants, forcing entry into numerous units. Other crews laddered the building and provided for emergency medical coverage. Due to the amount of fire encountered on two floors and the potential for fire spread, the Incident Commander called for a Box Alarm through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) about 8:34 p.m..
Firefighters reported a knock on the main fire apartment unit by 8:39 p.m. Firefighters had to open numerous walls and ceilings in the affected units to expose the fire for extinguishment. The fire was declared under control at 8:52 p.m. Firefighters continued to ventilate smoke and gases and perform extensive salvage and overhaul activities for some time after that.
No civilians or firefighters were injured in the fire, which left three units uninhabitable, displacing four occupants. Although there was some smoke and water damage throughout the common areas, the remaining units were tenable and residents were escorted back to their units by firefighters. Damage estimates are not available at the time of this release, and the fire remains under investigation by Palatine Fire Department investigators.
One pit pull evacuated the building on its own and kept running. Neighbors and police appeared to be able to stop the frightened dog. Kittens were also rescued from the fire.
The fire was fought by 46 firefighters, staffing seven engines, four ladder trucks, two rescue squads and four ambulances which responded to the scene along with six command officers and two Fire Investigators. Units from the Arlington Heights Fire Department — providing water supply to Palatine’s Tower Ladder — were among the initial responders to the scene as part of an automatic aid agreement, and additional assistance was received on the scene from Lake Zurich, Rolling Meadows, Mount Prospect, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Buffalo Grove, Wood Dale, Hoffman Estates and Palatine Rural Fire Departments on the Box Alarm. During the incident, units from the Long Grove, Elk Grove Township, Barrington and Algonquin Fire Departments stood by in Palatine fire stations to
provide coverage for any additional calls. Palatine Police officers assisted at the scene with traffic and crowd control, and a Village of Palatine Neighborhood Services inspector also responded to the scene to evaluate the building.
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