Two children die after fire sweeps through Carpentersville home

Two children died after fire tore through a Carpentersville home Sunday morning, officials said.

Four others were inside the residence when the blaze erupted. Two are being treated at an area hospital, while two refused treatment at the scene, authorities said. Two dogs also died, officials said.

The fire on the 1700 block of Kingston Circle was reported at 9:34 a.m., Carpentersville Fire Chief Bill Anaszewicz said. Firefighters who arrived within four minutes were told children were still inside the home and launched a search, he said.

“Fire was coming out of the windows on the front of the house, and there was a report of several people trapped inside the structure,” Anaszewicz said.

The blaze was under control within 25 minutes. By that time, flames had gutted the home’s interior.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but officials believe it started in the lower portion of the split-level home.

Neighbors gathered around the charred remains of the home Sunday afternoon, as police and firefighters worked around the scene. The state fire marshal was on hand, as was the Kane County coroner.

Neighbor Yesenia Garcia said she tried to rush into the home to help but was stopped by authorities.

“I tried to run in there and save those babies,” she said.

Another neighbor, Sam Olvera, said he saw smoke coming out of two windows on the bottom level of the house. He said he also heard someone loudly complaining about space heaters in the house.

Neighbors said three generations lived under one roof, including grandparents and three grandchildren.

Neighbor Catalina Diaz said the three children were under the age of 4 and lived in the basement. She said their grandmother was taken to the hospital.

“She was covered in black and her hair was burned,” Diaz said.

Fire officials said multiple fire agencies responded, including departments from East Dundee and West Dundee, Algonquin, Pingree Grove, Rutland Township and Hoffman Estates.

“This is going to be a time when we’ll all have to come together,” Anaszewicz said.

Carpentersville Village President John Skillman also was at the scene Sunday. Calling the day’s events “very tragic,” Skillman, a former Carpentersville fire chief, said he came out to support residents, the family and police and fire personnel.