Fire Displaces 12 Households At Palos Hills Condominium Complex

PALOS HILLS, IL — Twelve households were displaced, children and elderly among them, when a fire tore through their building at the Riviera Condominium Complex late Sunday evening. Palos Hills officials are collecting gift cards and donations to help them buy food and winter gear lost in the fire.

Around 11:20 p.m. Feb. 7, the North Palos Fire District answered a call of a fire at 11122 S. 84th Ave. When firefighters and police arrived, flames were shooting off a third floor balcony. Officers assisted residents out of the building as fire crews fought the fire.

The Palos Hills Community Resource Center was opened to provide a warm place for residents who did not immediately have a place to stay. The Red Cross responded immediately to provide assistance. No injuries were reported.

Mick Hickey, a member of the condominium association board, said the fire occurred in building 2 on the complex property and appeared to be confined to two units. Other residences sustained heavy smoke and water damage.

“It won’t be a quick turnaround before people are allowed back in,” Hickey told Patch.

Alderwomen Dawn Nowak and Donna O’Connell are working with the Hills Kiwanis in collecting gift cards and checks to assist residents affected by the fire. Contact Ald. Nowak at 708-259-3367 or dawn.nowak@hotmail.com or Ald. O’Connell at doconnell@paloshillsweb.org. Arrangements will be made to have donations picked up by Mike Lebarre from the Hills Kiwanis.

Other details about the fire were not readily available. The Riviera Regal was originally built as an apartment complex in 1974, and rental units were converted into condominiums during the 1990s. The complex has nine buildings and 109 units. This is the second condo-conversion fire to occur in Palos Hills since Christmas.