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Evanston Fire Department Responds to Early Morning House Fire on Hartzel
 Evanston Firefighters venting a roof at a working fire on the 2300 block of Hartzel. Photos courtesy of Tim Olk
EVANSTON, IL - At approximately 2:30 AM today, the Evanston Fire Department was dispatched to the 2300 block of Hartzel for a reported house fire. Upon arrival, Engine 25 confirmed heavy fire from all three floors of a single-family home and immediately upgraded the alarm to a working fire. In response, command quickly escalated the situation to a box alarm through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), bringing in fire companies from multiple communities, including Chicago.
In addition to fire crews, the Red Cross canteen and a CTA bus were dispatched to the scene to provide warming and refreshments for personnel battling the blaze in the extreme cold temperatures.
The fire attack began as an aggressive interior strategy. However, after recognizing several hazards within the structure, all companies were pulled out and transitioned to a defensive attack. With a coordinated effort, the fire was eventually brought to a manageable offensive attack and was successfully extinguished.
It has been determined that the family was on vacation at the time of the fire, and no civilian injuries were reported. At this time, one minor firefighter injuries has been reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
“We are incredibly proud of the efforts of all personnel involved in this difficult and intense operation,” said Chief Polep. “Their professionalism and teamwork were exemplary, especially in the challenging weather conditions.”
The Evanston Fire Department thanks all responding units and agencies for their swift and coordinated efforts. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
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Media Relations: Division Chief Kimberly Kull
kkull@cityofevanston.org
Phone: 847-866-5922
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