1 Dead, Dozens Displaced After Condo Fire Near Des Plaines

MAINE TOWNSHIP, IL — One person died and seven others were injured in a fire Sunday at a condominium building in unincorporated Maine Township east of Des Plaines. The fire broke out in the top floor of the six-story building in the 9300 block of Landings Lane around 7:45 a.m., causing a partial roof collapse and falling bricks, the Daily Herald reported.

Hilda Edelman, 85, who lived on the sixth floor of the building, was taken to Lutheran General Hospital and pronounced dead around 9 a.m. according to the Cook County Medical Examiner Office.

North Maine Fire Protection District Chief Robert McKay told the Daily Herald five firefighters were treated for minor injuries and heat exhaustion, with one remaining hospitalized overnight for observation. Two residents were also taken to the hospital and released. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, he said.

Edelman had been one of the first residents of the Landings complex when it was constructed 39 years ago. The president of the homeowner's association remembered her as a "wonderful lady," according to the Journal & Topics.

A representative of the landlord, Glenview-based Property Corporation of America, said one resident from each of the 35 damaged units in the building would be given a few minutes to retrieve their belongings, according to the Daily Herald.

A fundraiser dinner for residents will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 in the clubhouse of the residential complex at the corner of Ballard and Potter roads, the Des Plaines Journal reported. An online campaign has also been establish to collect donations to support families affected by the fire.

"Some units are completely burned, most are under water, but every single resident is now homeless and lost every single possession they owned," according to the GoFundMe campaign, which said nearly 100 people are likely to be "homeless for the foreseeable future."

Read more: Fire Leaves Dozens Displaced In Unincorporated Des Plaines

A witness who lives two buildings over shared this cell phone video with me. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/4JBLvdaLxY
— Vi Nguyen (@ViNguyen) September 16, 2018

Large fire impacted a condo building in Des Plaines displacing 35 units and impacting approximately 55 adults / 13 children. Red Cross volunteers are in clubhouse helping residents. Encourage impacted residents to come to clubhouse or call dispatch line 1 (877) 597-0747 for help. pic.twitter.com/nKMqdRJVb4
— American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois (@ChicagoRedCross) September 16, 2018