Above / Firefighters respond when a vehicle runs into a residence on the 800 Block of Edgewater Drive near Washington Street and not far from Edward Hospital. (PN File Photos are used to attract attention to public safety reports and information as a way to remind local residents that “keeping our community safe is everyone’s responsibility.” When you see something suspicious, say sometime by calling 9-1-1.)
At 3:23PM on Sat., Nov. 23, 2019, Naperville’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) received a 911 call stating that a vehicle had run off the road into a single-family residence with a person still trapped in the vehicle. A rescue response assignment was immediately dispatched to the location by PSAP.
While units were responding PSAP advised that the vehicle was now on fire, locked, and the driver was still unresponsive inside the vehicle. Truck Company 1 and Medic 1 arrived on scene within 5 minutes of receiving the call, and reported fire coming from the vehicle that was next to the rear entrance of a two-story single-family residence. The assignment was upgraded to a general alarm based on the additional information provided by PSAP.
The complete general alarm assignment consisted of three engine companies, two truck companies, one squad company, two ambulances, and two battalion commanders for a total of 24 personnel that responded to the scene of the incident.
The company officer of Truck 1 was advised by Naperville Police Department personnel on the scene that the
single occupant of the vehicle had been removed by a police officer and bystander after they were able to break the window with the officer’s baton.
Companies initiated an aggressive, coordinated fire attack and extinguished fire in the vehicle within 10 minutes. A foam agent was used to extinguish the burning gasoline that was leaking from the vehicle. Extra time was taken to extinguish areas with smoldering around the vehicle and inspect the interior of the residence to ensure that no fire had spread to the structure. There were no occupants in the residence at the time of the incident.
Crews continued to perform salvage and overhaul operations for another sixty minutes after the main fire was extinguished. No injuries to any residents or firefighters operating at the scene were reported during this incident.
The reason the vehicle left the roadway is unknown and the driver of the vehicle was transported to Edward
Hospital for evaluation, in stable condition.
The residence involved was deemed habitable after consulting with an inspector from the Naperville Transportation, Engineering, & Development Department (T.E.D.). The Naperville Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Naperville Police Department. Additional assistance was provided by the Westmont and Bolingbrook Fire Departments who provided station coverage during the incident.
Report submitted by James C. Kubinski, EMT-P, Bureau Chief – E.M.S., Naperville Fire Department.
