Firefighter safe after mayday call during apartment fire in Ukrainian Village

CHICAGO — Fire crews were sent into high gear on Friday morning after a mayday call was sent out for a trapped firefighter as crews battled a blaze on the city’s Northwest Side.

The fire erupted inside a three-story apartment building in the 2000 block of West Thomas in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood.

Residents in the building said they initially thought the smoke was the result of food burning, but things changed when they saw the fire trucks arrive.

“I didn’t know what to grab. I just grabbed what was in front of me and ran out,” one resident said.

The mayday call went out after a firefighter on the scene became trapped on the second floor while battling the blaze, but officials said he was eventually able to escape under his own power.

Officials said the firefighter, who has been with the department for around seven years, was able to exit the building using a ladder and even had a cat that he rescued on his back as he escaped.

He was later taken to the hospital for evaluation and no other injuries were reported.

It is currently unclear what sparked the blaze, and an investigation is now underway.