Garage Fire Stopped After Firefighters Dig Hydrants From Snow

ORLAND PARK, IL — A fire erupted in a garage, causing a resident to be treated for smoke initiation Tuesday evening, according to the Orland Fire Protection District. The district is urging residents to help ensure that fire hydrants near their homes are uncovered and easily visible for fire emergencies.

According to the district, firefighters had to dig fire hydrants out of accumulated snow piles from driveways and plows, on the 14000 block of Creek Crossing Drive in Orland Park, to stop the blaze. When officials arrived, they found the two-story, single-family home with heavy smoke coming from an attached garage. The door to the garage was closed, and the homeowners got out, while firefighters made "an aggressive attack" on the flames to prevent them from spreading to the attic and interior of the home, according to the fire district.

Multiple crews from the OFPD partook in fire control, search and rescue, and overhaul of the garage, the district said. The resident who suffered from smoke inhalation was treated and transported for additional care by an OFPD ambulance, and his current condition is unknown, the district said.

A full still alarm was called to bring more manpower and equipment to the inferno, and to back-fill Orland Fire District stations to cover additional calls, OFPD said. There was minimal smoke damage that made its way into the home, and the quick attack by fire crews stopped any further damage, OFPD said. The home is still habitable, and the residents could stay there if they chose to.

Fire crews had a hard time locating fire hydrants due to the snow. Officials are reminding residents to take the time to dig out your neighborhood fire hydrants because "Valuable time can be wasted on the fire scene trying to locate hydrants needed for water."

Fire Chief Michael Schofield said that OFPD firefighters are out shoveling snow from hydrants, but added it is a long process due to the large number of hydrants in the district. There are "several thousand" that need to be cleared of snow covering, the district said.

“It’s really important that residents not cover fire hydrants with snow when they shovel or plow their driveways,” Schofield said. “It’s an urgent matter. Every homeowner should check the hydrants located near their homes and remove the snow from around them to ensure that they are easily identified in the event of a fire emergency. Our firefighters are out there clearing snow from hydrants, but there are a lot of fire hydrants and the assistance of the community is important."

The fire is currently being investigated by the Orland Fire District Investigation Team. The district said other fire departments that helped stopped the flames included Palos Fire District, Tinley Park, North West Homer, Palos Heights, Crestwood, and North Palos.