The Schaumburg Fire Department was alerted to a fire alarm before 6 AM on Saturday, followed by multiple 911 calls reporting smoke coming from a building at 1234 Valley Lake Drive. Engine 54 arrived first and connected to the standpipe system. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered residents in the lobby and on upper floor balconies of the seven-story building. Once they reached the fire floor, heavy smoke made it challenging to locate the source of the fire.
An 85-year-old resident of the affected apartment suffered second-degree burns to her chest and was transported to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates before being transferred to Loyola University Hospital’s burn center for further treatment. Two fire lines were deployed, allowing crews to contain the fire within the unit of origin. The incident escalated to a 2-11 alarm, with additional ambulances on standby as a precaution. Firefighters rescued several residents who had taken refuge on their balconies to escape the smoke.
Larry Shapiro captured several images of the scene, including photos of Engine 52 arriving with Ambulance 52, Battalion 5, and Truck 52. Other images showed firefighters bringing equipment into the building, the fire unit located on the fourth-floor rear side, and investigators examining the area before completing the overhaul. Additional photos depicted firefighters resting on the seventh-floor balcony after a secondary search, as well as mutual aid units responding to the call.
Mutual aid companies involved included Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Itasca, and Mount Prospect. Engines came from Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Palatine Rural, Buffalo Grove, Barrington, and Bloomingdale. Carol Stream sent their two-piece squad company, while ambulances arrived from Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Roselle, Bensenville, Wheeling, and Glenside. Chief officers responded from Arlington Heights, Palatine Rural, and Itasca.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the woman, considered in critical condition, was later transferred to Loyola University Medical Center due to the severity of her injuries. Firefighters managed to prevent the fire from spreading beyond the fourth floor, though 15 apartments on that level were damaged and residents were being assisted by the Red Cross with temporary housing.
For more photos, visit Larry Shapiro's gallery [here](#). Radioman911.com has audio recordings of the dispatch and fireground communications, split into parts. You can listen to the full coverage [here](#) and [here](#). Another feed from St. Charles Feed also includes the dispatch and fireground details, available in two parts [here](#) and [here](#).
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