Downtown Joliet Woman's Cart Goes Up In Flames

JOLIET —Over the past year, one of the most visible faces in downtown Joliet is the older homeless woman who lives inside of her cart on wheels. Downtown business owners simply refer to her as "the homeless lady." On Wednesday night, the woman's cart went up in flames. Fortunately, the woman was not hurt and nobody was injured during the fire, according to Joliet Fire Captain Burke Schuster, who responded to the fire and told Patch the fire was accidental in nature.

"It was very unfortunate," he said.

Schuster told Joliet Patch the fire happened around 8:30 p.m. and the woman's cart, which included all of her clothes and personal belongings, was destroyed during the fire.

The fire department put out the fire within five minutes, Schuster said, and firefighters remained on the scene along North Chicago Street talking with the homeless woman in the aftermath of the fire. The woman had her cart parked a block north of the Rialto Square Theater, near the parking lot across the street from the back entrance to the Joliet Public Library.

Fire trucks were able to access North Chicago Street to put out the fire, even though Chicago Street has been closed to traffic since last summer as part of downtown Joliet's ongoing public infrastructure improvements, which include a new downtown city square.

"She was out of the cart at the time of the fire," Schuster said. "No one was injured."

However, Schuster said the woman adamantly refused to accept any assistance or temporary housing, including a chance to stay at one of Joliet's shelters.

The Joliet Fire Department established a Community Cares program last year that has helped several dozen formerly homeless residents get back on their feet. However, Joliet Fire Chief Jeff Carey has previously explained that there are numerous homeless people around Joliet who refuse to accept any help from the fire department, police or social services.

The woman whose cart was destroyed in Wednesday night's fire is one of them.

"She's nice," Schuster said. "She just has not agreed to accept any help."

Joliet police officers have told Joliet Patch in the past that the woman prefers to remain homeless and live in downtown Joliet. She pulls the cart along the sidewalks of downtown Joliet and often curls up inside, wearing numerous blankets or garments for warmth.

At times, she has kept her cart parked in front of the new Will County Courthouse. Other times, she kept it across the street in front of the empty McBrody's Sports Bar.

Last summer, Joliet Patch saw the homeless woman keeping her cart parked in front of Joliet's Ottawa Street Parking Deck, over near the city's landscaping.