No one was hurt after a fire engulfed an Albany Park apartment building Tuesday afternoon.
Dozens of firefighters were on scene in the 5000 block of North Troy Street battling the blaze. A 16-year-old girl was rescued from the building but refused medical transport, according to Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd).
“The level of trauma these families are experiencing right now is devastating,” Rodriguez Sanchez told reporters at the scene. “We’re going to need each other right now. If you see a fundraiser, chip in — they’re going to need it.”
The fire started around 4:30 p.m., according to Alberto Sanchez, 25, a former resident of the building whose aunts, uncles and cousins still live there.
Sanchez was headed home after picking up food from his mom, who lives across the street from where the fire broke out, when he saw the smoke. He immediately turned back to check on his loved ones.
“I’m still in shock, with everything going on right now, too,” he said. “I never expected this. This was my worst fear.”
The Red Cross was working to find housing for displaced families, and the city and other groups are expected to provide assistance in the coming days, Rodriguez Sanchez said.
Sanchez said his family members had already found places to stay after other relatives and community members offered to take them in.
“Everyone’s safe,” he said. “That’s the best thing we could wish for. There’s a lot of things lost, but everyone is here as a community. They’re blessings.”
Many residents lost passports, work permits and other important documentation, adding a layer of worry.
With federal agents targeting the Albany Park neighborhood — at least two people were detained by feds Friday, on Halloween — there was fear among displaced residents that they too could be taken because they lack papers to verify their status. Rodriguez Sanchez said her office was reaching out to consulates and other offices to help residents replace documents.
“Everyone lost all of their documentation,” Rodriguez Sanchez told reporters. “They have absolutely nothing right now, which is an extremely difficult situation given the attacks our community is facing right now.”
