1 Rescued, Sprinklers Key In Saving Lives At Tinley Senior Living Fire

TINLEY PARK, IL — One person suffered burns and was in serious condition following a fire at a Tinley Park senior living facility Monday evening.

Tinley Park firefighters were called at 5:15 p.m. Monday to a fire at Hanover Place in the 16800 block of Harlem Avenue in Tinley Park. A fire started in the living room of a first-floor unit, said Tinley Park Fire Chief Steve Klotz. Firefighters rescued one resident from the unit, Klotz said. She suffered burns and was reportedly in serious condition late Monday night, according to Village Manager Pat Carr. The fire was contained within 10 minutes of first responders' arrival, Klotz said.

More than 90 residents were evacuated and evaluated on-scene before being cleared to return to their units, Klotz said, with multiple ambulances brought in to assist. Another female resident was transported to a nearby hospital for an unknown medical condition not associated with the fire, Carr said.

The emergency response shut down traffic on Harlem Avenue from 167th to 171st streets. Southbound Harlem Avenue was reopened by late Monday evening.

Including the unit where the fire started, Klotz estimated that four total units were damaged.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but was not suspicious in nature, Klotz said.

Firefighters knocked the fire down quickly, Klotz said, but a working sprinkler system also was essential.

"That probably helped save her life," Klotz said.