'I Felt Helpless': Ex-Western Springs Fire Chief

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Former Western Springs Fire Chief Patrick Kenny, who retired in early 2021, this week said he "felt helpless" when his son's family's house was destroyed in a fire in July.

At Monday's Western Springs Village Board meeting, Village Manager Ellen Baer read a letter from Kenny about the La Grange Park fire.

In the early evening of July 5, a storm swept through the area. As a result, power lines were arcing and burning in the 900 block of Meadowcrest Road in La Grange Park, firefighters said at the time.

The arcing came into contact with the house owned by the former chief's son, Patrick, and his wife, Abbie. That started a fire and electrified the house.

"For the first time in 40 years, I went to a fire without lights, sirens or a radio, so I felt helpless regarding how bad it was until I pulled up on the block and got out of my car," the former chief said. "It was obvious that this was going to be a total loss."

Firefighters couldn't enter the electrified house until ComEd shut off the power. Kenny said he has never felt so useless as he did while standing there watching his son's family's house being destroyed by fire.

"The good news was that my granddaughters were not at home, so they did not experience the trauma of having to evacuate and see their home destroyed," Kenny said.

The family has reported that 4-year-old Caroline and 2-year-old Maeve were having a sleepover at a relative's house at the time.

Kenny said no one was injured in the fire.

"That's what counts. A house can be rebuilt, and they will reclaim their home," he said.

The family will live in a house in Western Springs temporarily for a year, Kenny said.

He praised the work of firefighters from La Grange Park and Western Springs, which assisted.

"What La Grange Park and Western Springs did to save the structure will allow the home to be rebuilt more expediently," he said.