A firefighter was tragically forced to perform CPR on his wife after being called to a fire at his own home this week.
Chicago firefighter Walter Stewart rushed to his house on Tuesday (7 March) night after hearing his own address come over the scanner while on duty.
His wife, Summer Day-Stewart, sadly passed away on Thursday (9 March) at 7.30pm from injuries she sustained during the fire, not long after their seven-year-old son Ezra, who died a day earlier.
Two other children - a two-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter - in the house were critically injured and are suffering from severe smoke inhalation.
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Both surviving children have been unconscious since the fire broke out on Tuesday.
Relative Sarah Day told ABC 7 Chicago that 'it's not optimistic' that either child will pull through.
The fire broke out just after 9.00pm on Tuesday night at the 2500 block of North Rutherford Avenue.
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Stewart's truck was not assigned to the fire when the department was first alerted, but when he recognised his address, he fled to the scene in an SUV.
Spokesperson for the Chicago Fire Department Larry Langford confirmed that Stewart performed CPR on his wife at the scene.
It is understood that the fire started from within the household's kitchen.
Inspectors are still working to determine the exact cause, and haven't yet said whether or not the fire was intentional.
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According to officials, the family home did have smoke detectors installed.
Speaking to ABC 7 Chicago, Summer Stewart's sister-in-law Amber Day asked: "How do you come back from that?
"How do you recover from that? How do you go on knowing that that was your life? That was it?"
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Remembering Summer, Sarah Day said: "Everywhere she went, she meant something to everybody. She was just that kind of person. She was so unique."
Flowers, wreaths, and stuffed animals have been laid out by neighbours and friends along the charred porch of the Stewart family home, according to CBS News.
A Chicago Fire Department charity called Ignite The Spirit has launched a fundraiser to support Stewart and his family, which you can find here.
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"Every member of Local 2 and the Department mourns with our brother Walter and the Stewart family," said department president Jim Tracy in a statement.
"This tragedy weighs heavy on our hearts, and we pledge our ongoing support.
"Local 2 is encouraging everyone to make a donation for Walter and the Stewart family through the "Ignite The Spirit Chicago."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Topics: US News
Ali Condon