Harvey Firefighter Hurt Battling Blaze, Frozen Hydrants

HARVEY, IL — A firefighter was hurt helping to extinguish a Tuesday house fire in Harvey, according to the Daily Southtown. Temperatures were so low fighting the blaze that it took crews nearly 20 minutes to open nearby hydrants that were frozen, the report added.

According to a city spokesman, the fire started around 3:15 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, at a two-story home in the 16400 block of Emerald Avenue, the report stated. Firefighters had the blaze mostly put out about two hours later and had to work in 20-minute shifts because of the brutally cold conditions, the report added. Temperatures were as low as 9 below, according to Todd Sherman of Northern Illinois FireGround Photos.

The injured firefighter's was treated at Ingalls Memorial Hospital for minor injuries, the report stated. A city spokesman told the Southtown that the firefighter possibly pulled a back muscle fighting the fire.

RELATED: Warming Bus Needed For Firefighters In Oak Forest Fire

The homeowners were out of town, and no one else was hurt in the fire, the Southtown reports. The fire did not spread to neighboring homes, the report added.

Tuesday's fire was the third in the South Suburbs in recent days that injured a firefighter and crews battled frigid temperatures along with flames. On Saturday, a warming bus was needed for firefighters who extinguished a fire at an Oak Forest auto repair shop.

RELATED: Firefighter Hurt In Flossmoor Home Fire

A New Year's morning blaze at a Flossmoor house left a firefighter hurt and killed a dog. Four people were left without a home, and four cars were destroyed by the fire.

More via the Daily Southtown

Firefighters battle a house fire in Harvey on Tuesday, Jan. 2. (Photos by Todd Sherman | Northern Illinois FireGround Photos)