In the early hours of Wednesday morning, a devastating fire engulfed a home in West Englewood, Chicago, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, including two children. The blaze occurred just before 2 a.m. in the 6200 block of South Paulina Street. The tragedy claimed the lives of an 8-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy. Both were pronounced dead at Comer Children’s Hospital.
Two adults, a man and a woman, succumbed to severe burns after being transported to the University of Chicago Medicine. One of the deceased adults was identified as 57-year-old Reginald Lee Wilson, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Autopsies are scheduled to be conducted on Thursday.
Two teenage boys, ages 14 and 16, survived the incident and remain in stable condition at Comer. Authorities have not yet disclosed the relationships between the victims.
Cadarius Wilson, 24, recounted the incident, stating he was the first on the scene. Wilson, who was visiting a friend, described being at the “right time, right place.” Upon discovering the fire, he immediately called 911 and attempted to alert those inside. Despite a locked gate preventing entry, Wilson shouted warnings to both residents and neighbors.
Wilson shared how he rescued two teenage boys by catching them as they leaped from a window. “I told them I am not going anywhere. Y’all can jump,” Wilson said. “I am right here to catch y’all. I am not going to leave.” He remained with the brothers, offering comfort and encouraging them to stay calm and breathe while waiting for medical assistance.
After the rescue, Wilson stayed with the boys as they were taken to the hospital. He expressed that he acted out of compassion, stating, “I wouldn’t want no one to leave me. I would want someone to stay and help me, so that’s exactly what I did.” Although praised for his actions, Wilson humbly rejected the hero label, viewing himself as a person who was “always taught to love.”
Currently, fire officials and detectives from Wentworth Area (Area 1) are probing the origins of the fire, treating the case as an arson investigation.