Cicero Firefighters Dig Out Hydrants Before Fighting Fire

CICERO, IL — Firefighters in the Town of Cicero had to dig out fire hydrants to get access to water while fighting a fire that destroyed two apartments in a two-story, 12-unit apartment building on Wednesday morning, according to the Town of Cicero.

Fire Chief Dominick Buscemi said there were no injuries in the fire that took under an hour to extinguish at 26th Street and 56th Court, but he said valuable time was taken to clear the hydrant. The chief urged residents of Cicero to clear snow from the fire hydrants near their homes in the event that an emergency situation arises, saying that between fires and emergency calls, firefighters are shoveling snow from around hydrants but noted there are more than 1,200 in the town and that even when snow is removed one day, a storm the next can cover them up again.

"Our firefighters are out there everyday digging out the fire hydrants in the Town of Cicero to ensure they are easily visible in the event of an emergency," Buscemi said. "But there are more than 1,200 fire hydrants in Cicero and even when we clear them, a snowfall the next day or day after. Like we have seen almost every day for the past two weeks, covers them up again."

Buscemi stressed that residents should keep an eye on hydrants and take a few minutes to clear the snow to make sure they stay visible.

"The residents at this apartment building this morning never expected a fire," Buscemi said. "We were lucky that no one was injured and the fire was limited to only two of the units."

Buscemi said that more than 40 people lived in the building and that two of the units are now deemed uninhabitable. One apartment was completed gutted by fire and the second was "seriously damaged" by smoke.

Majority of residents were allowed to return to their apartments, but the Cicero is working to find temporary shelter for two families in the two units that were damaged, according to the town.