{"id":7725,"date":"2025-05-06T05:13:35","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T05:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/princetonillinois.com\/?p=7725"},"modified":"2025-05-06T05:13:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T05:13:35","slug":"streator-familys-close-call-in-fire-ends-with-successful-rescue-shaw-local","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/princetonillinois.com\/?p=7725","title":{"rendered":"Streator family\u2019s close call in fire ends with successful rescue – Shaw Local"},"content":{"rendered":"


Streator Firefighters pose with the victims of a house fire earlier this month. The family visited the firehouse to thank the firefighters by bringing food for the crew on shift. <\/span>(Photo Provided By Streator Fire Department)
A house fire earlier this month in Streator<\/a> led to the rescue of two residents<\/a> trapped in a bedroom on the second floor.
Streator Fire Capt. Bryan Park, who was on duty that day, said the call came in about 9:30 a.m. Jan. 8 at 43 Stanton Place.
After hearing the address, Park recognized it as the street of a family he knows personally.
\u201cWhen the call came in and I saw the address, I thought there was a chance it might\u2019ve been their house,\u201d Park said. \u201cThe dispatch center communicated to us there was a house fire and two people were trapped in a bedroom upstairs.\u201d
By the time firefighters arrived, flames already had spread to the rear of the house and smoke was pouring out of second-story windows.
After investigating, firefighters realized that two residents were trapped in their bedroom, unable to escape because of the smoke and flames on the second floor coming from the kitchen area.
\u201cI recognized them immediately when I saw their heads poking out the window,\u201d Park said. \u201cI was glad to see they were all right, but we knew we had to move quickly and get the rescue to the back side of the house.\u201d
Park called for a \u201cvent, enter, search\u201d operation, a high-risk maneuver that involves firefighters entering the house without the protection of a hose line. He noted that it\u2019s not a drastic measure but a tactic only used when lives are on the line.
\u201cWe pulled a ladder to the back of the house,\u201d Park said. \u201cWe told them to sit on the roof for fresh air, then we were able to help them down safely.\u201d
After they climbed down, the residents were immediately checked for injuries and smoke inhalation. Luckily, neither had any serious injuries.
They were taken to an ambulance as a precaution but were soon cleared.
Park said the fire was particularly emotional because he knew the victims personally.
\u201cThere was definitely a lot of emotion for me, especially because I\u2019ve known that family for years, if not decades,\u201d he said. \u201cIn a situation like that, there\u2019s always adrenaline. But knowing the people in the house made it especially personal.\u201d
The fire department believes the victims’ safety was because of a closed door, which helped prevent the fire from reaching them before they were rescued.
\u201cI honestly believe the door might\u2019ve saved their lives,\u201d Park said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen how important a closed door can be in a house fire, especially if the people inside are asleep or unaware.\u201d
Firefighters were able to control the blaze within 30 minutes of arriving at the scene. The crew quickly extinguished the flames in the kitchen, preventing further spread to the rest of the house.
The home had heavy smoke damage and significant fire damage to the kitchen, but the quick response kept the damage to a minimum. Three of the residents’ dogs were found dead as a result of the fire.
The family made a statement about the incident, making sure to publicly thank the fire department.
\u201cWords cannot fully express our gratitude for your courage, compassion and unwavering dedication. When disaster struck, you were there without hesitation, putting your own safety aside to ensure ours. You not only saved my husband and me, but you also fought tirelessly to protect our beloved pets, doing everything possible in an impossible situation.
\u201cThough we\u2019ve lost everything we owned, including our four-legged family members, we are forever grateful for the lives that you preserved so that my children were able to hug us goodnight. You gave us a second chance, and that is something we will never take for granted. Your selflessness and commitment are a reminder of the extraordinary people who serve our communities, and we are beyond thankful for each and every one of you.
\u201cYou gave us hope when all seemed lost. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.\u201d
The family recently took the time to thank the fire department by stopping by the firehouse and bringing food for the firefighters on shift.
\u201cIt meant the world to us,\u201d Park said about the family\u2019s visit. \u201cThat family had just lost most of what they owned, but they still took the time to buy food and bring it to us to show their appreciation. After everything they\u2019d been through, you\u2019d think they\u2019d be focused on their own recovery, but for them to come down with their kids to meet us, it was just a really special moment.\u201d
Copyright \u00a9 2023 Shaw Local News Network
Copyright \u00a9 2023 Shaw Local News Network<\/p>\n

source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Streator Firefighters pose with the victims of a house fire earlier this month. The family visited the firehouse to thank the firefighters by bringing food for the crew on shift. (Photo Provided By Streator Fire Department)A house fire earlier this month in Streator led to the rescue of two residents trapped in a bedroom on the second floor.Streator Fire Capt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t