Fire sweeps through apartment building, displaces residents in Woodridge, Illinois

People ran out of their homes into the cold overnight Tuesday into Wednesday after a fire broke out in an apartment building in the western Chicago suburb of Woodridge.

The fire broke out in a multi-family building at 7900 Janes Ave., near Forest Drive. Firefighters from the Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection District were called to the scene at 1:39 a.m. Wednesday, and residents reported both the first and second floor were ablaze.

The fire protection district raised a box alarm, and several suburban fire departments responded to the scene.

The first fire protection district unit on the scene found smoke and fire showing from the rear of the building and climbing to the roof. Upon going inside the building, crews found fire between the first and second floor and extending into the attic.

Smoke was seen billowing as firefighters stood on the roof.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze, the fire protection district said.

Fire crews also ran into major challenges in fighting the blaze, including a froze fire hydrant and wind chills well below zero, the fire protection district said.

All residents escaped safely. One firefighter suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze, according to fire protection district.

Fire officials said several units have major damage, and the families who reside in them have been displaced.

The American Red Cross was assisting the displaced residents Wednesday morning.