Tinley Residents Raise Over $8K For Victims Of Apartment Fire

TINLEY PARK, IL — A fire that blazed through an apartment building in Tinley Park Tuesday displaced four families and destroyed their belongings. But, in less than 24 hours, community members in the village helped raise thousands of dollars and donated clothes, games, furniture and more to help them.

The Tinley Park Fire Department responded to the fire in the 6500 block of West 173rd Place that residents say began in a closet. The four-unit apartment building is now uninhabitable, but no residents were seriously hurt, according to officials.

Tinley Park Fire Department Chief Forest Reeder told Patch the cause of the fire is undetermined, and the building is currently stable and boarded up.

"The flames were under control in about 3o minutes. All four units sustained significant smoke damage," Reeder said. "I want to commend our firefighters for the swift action they took to stop the fire. I also want to commend fire truck 46, alongside Lieutenant Scott French and firefighter Christian Andrews for locating and rescuing the two trapped inside."

Reeder also thanked the Oak Forest Fire Department for helping put out the fire and saving those inside.

Robyn Yolich said she was at home with her son Marshall, 7, when she smelled smoke in her unit. Yolich said by the time she noticed the fire, which started in her apartment, it had already spread quickly, prompting her to escape with her son and call 911.

"I can't even believe how fast the fire spread ... the fire department showed up so fast and yet everything was still so damaged," Yolich said. "I don't know what started the fire, but knowing that the families living in the building can't anymore ... I feel so terrible. I just want everyone to be happy in the end."

Yolich said Marshall is autistic and was highly upset when the fire broke out. "He was crying and saying 'fire, fire, fire' ... all the commotion really got to him," Yolich said.

Kaylee Danuta, another resident of the complex, was at work at the time of the fire, along with her husband. She said her landlord called her saying the apartment was on fire.

"I was freaking out and hysterical. My landlord said to hurry and come home because he wasn't sure if my cats would be okay," Danuta said. "All the windows were broken into. I went around the back [and] saw where the fire started. The window was completely out, and inside ... was just completely black."

Danuta said her cats were shaken up, but OK. Her furniture was severely damaged and needs to be replaced. Until she and her husband are able to find a new residence, they are staying with family in Indiana.

"I never thought anything like this would happen to us. It was just a regular Tuesday. Then all of a sudden, like, this just happened," Danuta said. "I'm really grateful everyone is okay and that I'm going through this experience with my husband. Our things were destroyed but our family is okay and that's what matters."

Yolich, who is now staying with family, said her unit was the most damaged, since it's where the fire started. Robyn and Marshall also lost all their belongings inside. Within hours of the fire, friends of Yolich began a GoFundMe page to help her get new essentials.

Jennifer Yolich, Robyn's sister, said the family expected a few people to help, but the response they received exceeded their expectations. The account had earned $8,010 as of Wednesday afternoon.

"It just makes me so proud to live here. I can't believe the amount of support that we've gotten in such a short amount of time, "Jennifer said. "Our phones are blowing up ... we're both sitting here trying to hold back tears because we can't believe the support that's coming out. It's truly unbelievable."

Currently, there are no other pages set up for the additional three families involved in the fire. Robyn said she wants to be able to give back to her neighbors.

"We need to rent a storage space to hold the amount of donations we are getting. The amount of financial support, clothes, toys, furniture ... it's just jaw dropping," Robyn said. "I want to give some of what we received to my neighbors. It started in my apartment and I'm taking responsibility in any way I can."

Robyn said any donations beyond the $10,000 goal will be donated to a local charity, and that nothing will go to waste. The community support has been so overwhelming that Robyn said she doesn't want to have to move out of Tinley Park, the place she has lived for 12 years.

"It's amazing. My heart is overjoyed. I'm smiling, crying and was able to sleep decently, knowing that it's going to be OK," Robyn said. "I was stressed out, but I woke up happy because even though I lost everything, I didn't. Because everyone in the community is helping so much and it's truly just amazing."