The Herald-News • Sunday, June 21, 2015
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Girl dies after being pulled from fire Joliet firefighters continuing to investigate cause of blaze in multi-unit East Side home By FELIX SARVER fsarver@shawmedia.com
Several people were displaced by the fire, but the Joliet Fire Department was working with the American Red Cross to provide housing for them. Stromberg said the fire was under control about 15 minutes after firefighters arrived. The fire was contained to the main floor and the first floor of the building, he said. He estimated the blaze caused $50,000 in damage. Investigators were looking into the cause of the fire, he said. Fire Capt. Matt Baxter said the fire remained under investigation as of Saturday afternoon. The final cause and manner of death will be determined by the coroner’s office after an autopsy, toxicological reports and police and fire reports are complete. A funeral home for Mia had not been selected as of Friday night, according to the coroner’s office.
JOLIET – A 7-year-old Joliet girl died Friday after she was pulled from a fire that morning at a multi-unit home on Joliet’s East Side. The girl, identified as Mia Sykes, was unresponsive when firefighters brought her out of the structure fire at 603 Dover St. She was pronounced dead at 12:07 p.m. in the emergency room of Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center, according to the Will County Coroner’s Office. Joliet firefighters were called to the fire at 10 a.m. Joliet Battalion Fire Chief Mike Stromberg said Friday a mother at the scene said her child was trapped inside. Fire crews went into the building to search for the child, found her on the first floor and brought her out. Stromberg said the child was • Herald-News reporter unconscious and transported to Vikaas Shanker contributed to Presence Saint Joseph. this story.
ABOVE: Joliet Fire Department investigators examine damage caused by a fire Friday at 603 E. Dover St. LEFT: Fire investigators work at the scene of Friday’s fire. Officials said the blaze caused an estimated $50,000 in damage. Photos by Lathan Goumas – lgoumas@shawmedia.com
Brothers grow up to become great fathers My 6-year-old self who was crying while my two older brothers used my stuffed animals as footballs and kicked them over the couch for “practice” would not have believed they would become such fabulous fathers. How could I, as I watched my beloved toys – Starlite, Rainbow Brite’s horse, seemed to be a favorite target – sail through the living room and into the dining room (or was it from the dining room into the living room? My memory is a little hazy on that part) as they perfected their kicks? No way these two ever could be remotely caring toward someone younger than they. Ah, the misguided (although thoroughly understandable) musings of the baby sister in the family. As an adult, I marvel at what wonderful parents my brothers are
VIEWS Kate Schott with their respective children. They are firm when they need to be, but take joy at the accomplishments of their children, too. They know when to have fun, when to be serious and how to encourage their kids to follow their dreams. There is nothing I love more in this world than my nephews and niece; thanks to my brothers (and their amazing respective wives), it’s pretty easy to be their aunt. Whether it’s spending hours watching trains, teaching them how to fish or building towers out of Lincoln Logs just so they can smash them to the ground, it’s always a blast being Aunt Katie
to these kiddos. But it’s not a surprise: They have great examples to emulate as they grow from babies to toddlers to kids. My brothers also are teachers (so are my sisters-in-law), so they get to spread their knowledge and love of learning to other children, too. I hope the parents of their students know how lucky they are to have such wonderful, giving educators at the front of their children’s classrooms. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. I hope your day is full of all the joys fatherhood brings with it. ••• Maybe you know some fathers who are everyday heroes? You’re in luck, because we still are looking for nominees for our Everyday Heroes project, which honors those who selflessly donate their time and talents to help those in need or to better
communities in Will and Grundy counties. We are accepting applications through July 15. You can submit one online at www.theherald-news.com/ forms/everyday-heroes. If you prefer, you can type out your nomination, including the required contact information, and mail it to: The Herald-News, Attn: Everyday Heroes, 2175 Oneida St., Joliet, IL 60435. If you want to know more about this program, give me a call at the number below. Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
• Kate Schott is editor of The Herald-News, the Morris Herald-News and Herald Life. She can be reached at kschott@shawmedia.com or 815280-4119. Follow her on Twitter @ Kate_Schott78.