No Injuries Reported In Roseland House Fire
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A family escaped an early morning fire in the Roseland neighborhood on Wednesday, when a young man helped lead his grandparents out of the burning house.
The fire started around 5:45 a.m. in a one-and-a-half story house near State Street and 102nd Place. By the time it was put out, much of the roof and back of the home was gone.
The house was gutted by flames, and afterward left encased in ice due to the extreme cold.
Sonia Riddle said she feels blessed because her parents survived the fire, thanks to her nephew.
Markece Thomas, 22, managed to get both of his grandparents out of their burning home.
"It was pitch dark. I couldn't see anything," he said. "God had my back, you know, and I just made it out of there. I got them out of there. I made it out of there safe. You know, we lost everything we had, but we've still got our life."
Thomas said he doesn't think of himself as a hero, but his grandparents seemed to think otherwise.
His grandparents made it out without shoes, but escaped the cold by huddling in a van.
While trying to extinguish the blaze, several firefighters were forced to escape through the home's windows, because conditions inside had become too dangerous. Firefighters put out the blaze by about 7 a.m.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was under investigation.