'My Sister Is on Fire'; Three Chicago Kids Hurt in Blaze

Jan. 24--Three children were taken to an area hospital, one in critical condition, after crews battled a fire Wednesday night on Chicago's South Side, officials said.

The fire broke out at 7:25 p.m. in the 1000 block of West 76th Street, according to Chicago Fire Department officials.

Two girls and a boy were taken to Comer Children's Hospital. One of the girls was critically injured, and the other two children were in good condition, Fire Department spokeswoman Meg Ahlheim said.

Neighbor Sandra Gray said the critically injured girl is about 4 years old. She was with her 10-year-old brother and their 16-year-old sister.

Gray, who lives with her husband and children in a first-floor unit below where the fire started, said she heard the 16-year-old screaming for help.

Gray said the children were alone when the fire started. The teenager told Gray that she was doing her homework when the boy ran to her room to tell her about the fire, which was contained to the bedroom shared by the younger children.

"The 10-year-old ran back there to tell her (their sister) was on fire," Gray said. "She came downstairs and was knocking on everyone's door. She was screaming, 'My sister's on fire.'"

Gray said she ran upstairs with her husband and another man from the apartment when she saw the bottom bunk of a bunk bed on fire.

"All I saw was that the bed was on fire and the baby was burned," Gray said. "You could see the bed on fire."

She said the teenager burned her hands trying to pick up the girl who was on fire. Gray's husband and the other man, another neighbor, put the fire out with water as firefighters and paramedics arrived.

Gray said the young girl was conscious but badly burned.

The children's father arrived home a short time later, Gray said.

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