Late Sunday, authorities had not released the names and ages of the victims. Krystle Sauseda, 31, who said she was an aunt of many of the victims, said they included four siblings from one family, three siblings from another family and an unrelated teen who was a close friend to the group.</s>CHICAGO (AP) — Eight people, including six children, were killed when a fire broke out before dawn Sunday at a Chicago apartment in one of the deadliest fires in the nation’s third-largest city in years, officials say.

Two other people were hospitalized in very critical condition, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt said. One of the children who died was an infant, according to Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago.

“We have not had this in many, many, many years — this amount of fatalities and injuries in one location,” he said.

A makeshift memorial along a nearby sidewalk included crosses for each child who died — a small Mickey Mouse doll set next to one. The Rev. Clifford Spears of Saint Michael Missionary Baptist Church led a crowd that gathered in prayer, the Chicago Tribune reported. A candlelight vigil was planned for Sunday night.

Officials had not released the names or ages of the victims, all of whom were in the same residence, Merritt said. The cause of the blaze hasn’t been determined.

A woman who saw the blaze as she was returning home from work alerted people and gave them a chance to escape, Santiago said. She called 911 around 4 a.m., then began knocking on doors in the largely Hispanic Little Village neighborhood on the city’s southwest side.

“So the female who did that saved a lot of lives,” Santiago said.

At least two buildings caught fire, one of them described by fire department officials as a coach house.

Video showed smoke coming from windows of a three-story building’s stone facade, with flames engulfing the back. Police officers helped push a stretcher toward an ambulance, while a paramedic simultaneously performed CPR. One woman lay on a street crying while someone tried to comfort her.

The fire was put out by just after 5 a.m., fire department officials said. At least one firefighter was injured and was hospitalized in good condition.

Merritt said investigators have not found working smoke detectors.

The American Red Cross planned to work with the Chicago Fire Department to canvass the neighborhood to ensure homes have functional smoke alarms installed, the CEO of the Chicago & Northern Illinois Red Cross, Celena Roldan, told the Chicago Sun-Times.</s>CHICAGO — Officials say a fire in a Chicago neighbourhood has left eight people dead, including six children.

Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago told reporters that one of the children who was killed in the fire early Sunday was an infant.

The cause of the blaze hasn’t been determined.

Officials say firefighters were called around 4 a.m. to a house fire in the city’s Little Village neighbourhood. At least two buildings caught fire, one of them a coach house.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt said those killed were all from the same residence. He says investigators have not found working smoke detectors.</s>CHICAGO (Reuters) - A fire on Chicago’s West Side early Sunday morning killed eight people, including six children, and critically injured two others, a fire official said.

A passerby saw smoke at the rear of the building around 4 a.m. local time, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.

A teenager and a young adult are in critical condition with burns and smoke inhalation, Langford said, adding their prognosis was poor.

The victims’ names, ages and relationships to each other were not known, Langford said. The youngest killed was an infant.

All victims were on the second floor of the two-story brick building with an attic, Langford said. The first floor was empty and boarded up while the attic was a storage area.

Investigators are probing the fire’s origin and cause, Langford said. Officials’ preliminary observation showed the fire started on second floor, he said.

The fire was extinguished within 45 minutes, Langford said. Fifteen ambulances were on scene.

The structure was totaled and the fire’s heat was so intense that siding on buildings up to 200 feet away melted.

No smoke detectors were heard and none have been found, Langford said.

“Our death count would have definitely been lower or non-existent if working smoke detectors were in this structure,” Langford said.</s>CHICAGO (WGNtv) — Eight children were killed when a fire broke out before dawn Sunday in one of the deadliest fires in the city in years, officials said.

"We have not had this in many, many, many years — this amount of fatalities and injuries in one location," Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago said.

Marcos Contreras wasn't home, but he said there was a sleepover in a second floor unit of a coach house on the 2200 block of South Sacramento Saturday night, where older siblings were watching over the younger ones.

At some point during the night, at least two buildings caught fire. A woman returning home from work noticed the blaze in the building and alerted people so they could escape, Santiago said. She called 911 around 4 a.m., then began knocking on doors.

"So the female who did that saved a lot of lives," Santiago said.

Video from the scene shows smoke coming from windows of the three-story building's stone facade, with flames engulfing the back. Police officers helped push a stretcher toward an ambulance, while a paramedic simultaneously performed CPR. One woman lay on a street crying while someone tried to comfort her.

Officials and family members say eight children were killed in the blaze, and two teens remain on life support. The fire was put out just after 5 a.m., fire department officials said. At least one firefighter was injured and was hospitalized in good condition.

According to family members, the victims include: three-month-old Maya Almaraz, Ariel Garcia, age five, Lonni Ayala, age three, Gialonni Ayala, age five, Xavier Contreras, age 11, Nathan Contreras, age 13, Giovanni Ayala, age 10, and Victor Mendoza, age 16. The teens on life support are Adrian Hernandez, 14, and Cesar Contreras, 14.

Now Marcos Contreras is dealing with the unbearable loss of four of his siblings.

"Our babies are gone there's nothing we can do," Contreras said. "I don't even have words to explain the pain I'm feeling right now, it feels like my whole world is crashing."

Grandmother Ramonita Reyes said she didn't know what to say in the wake of such a loss.

"This is a tragedy beyond anything I ever dreamed of in my life," Reyes said. "We just have to put our faith in God watches over the rest of our family the ones we have left."

A makeshift memorial along a nearby sidewalk included crosses for each child who died, a small Mickey Mouse doll set next to one. The Rev. Clifford Spears of Saint Michael Missionary Baptist Church led a crowd that gathered in prayer, the Chicago Tribune reported. A candlelight vigil is planned for Sunday night.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt said investigators have not found smoke detectors in the building.

The American Red Cross planned to work with the Chicago Fire Department to canvass the neighborhood to ensure homes have functional smoke alarms installed, the CEO of the Chicago & Northern Illinois Red Cross, Celena Roldan, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.</s>Bills which were designed to increase Illinois seniors’ access to high-speed internet and to provide more convenience with permanent identification cards have been signed into law.

The measures were signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner.

House Bill 5752 creates the Broadband Advisory Council to explore ways to expand broadband access, often called high-speed internet, throughout the state, including in unserved and under-served areas.

The bill, initiated by AARP, provides specifics on the council’s membership, powers and duties.

The council will be administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, DCEO.

Just under four in 10 people ages 65 and older have high-speed internet access in their homes, compared to 77 percent of the 30- to 49-year-old demographic, according to AARP Illinois’ most recent data.

Many seniors need broadband access to benefit from web-based technologies that support aging in place, such as telehealth and “smart home” systems.

Other uses include self-management of chronic diseases that can help prevent or postpone functional decline, such as home-based smart medical services.

State Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, said that signing of the bill was “a positive step forward for those rural communities in Illinois that have had limited internet connectivity, they’ve been under-served and held back.

“In today’s world, this is a basic utility. I’m grateful we’re broadening our horizons and recognizing that everyone needs reliable access to this vital tool.”

The ability to work part-time from home online could be particularly valuable to older adults who are facing growing demands to manage complex health, retirement and care arrangements.

The bill was supported by AARP of Illinois, AT&T, the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Municipal League, the Illinois Telecommunications Association, the Illinois Department on Aging DCEO.

House Bill 4424 eases the renewal requirements for Illinois identification cards for the state’s seniors.

It provides that identification cards issued to Illinoisans over 65 are permanent and do not need to be renewed. ID cards issued to those 65 and older will continue to be free of charge.

The bill also provides that Illinois Person with a Disability ID cards will expire after 10 years.

The initiative was supported by the Illinois secretary of state and the AARP.</s>CHICAGO — Eight people, including six children, were killed when a fire broke out early Sunday at a Chicago apartment, officials say.

Two other people were hospitalized in very critical condition, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt said. At least one firefighter was injured and was hospitalized in good condition.

Officials have not released the ages of the victims, but fire Commissioner Jose Santiago told reporters that one of the children who was killed was an infant.

“We have not had this in many, many, many years — this amount of fatalities and injuries in one location,” Santiago said.

Officials say firefighters were called around 4 a.m. to the fire in the city’s Little Village neighborhood. At least two buildings caught fire, one of them a coach house. The cause of the blaze hasn’t been determined.

Merritt said those killed were all from the same residence. He said investigators have not found working smoke detectors.</s>JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — Marijuana growers across Illinois are expanding, despite years of lower-than-expected demand in the state's medical cannabis pilot program.

The facilities expect more residents to gain access to the drug through a bill awaiting a decision by Gov. Bruce Rauner, the Chicago Tribune reported. The opioid bill would allow medical marijuana to be used in place of prescription painkillers.

The state's prescription monitoring program tracked 1.5 million opioid prescriptions in the first quarter of 2017, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The governor's election this November also has operators seeing the potential to attract the general consumer, not just the patients.

Rauner has said legalizing marijuana for recreational use would be a mistake. But Democratic contender J.B. Pritzker has said he would work to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.

Illinois residents must have their doctors certify that they have at least one of 41 qualifying medical conditions, including AIDS and cancer, to be eligible for medical cannabis.

Cresco Labs, which owns three facilities in the state, is planning to expand its Joliet and Lincoln facilities to keep up with demand from the program's current participants and future participants that could be added in the coming months.

"You want to be prepared," said Cresco CEO Charlie Bachtell. "You've got to be thinking nine to 12 months out to make sure you've got capacity and product available."

Illinois added nearly 2,400 patients to the program last month.

Cresco employs about 145 people in Illinois, up from fewer than 60 in January.

Another Chicago-based cannabis company, Green Thumb Industries, or GTI, has also increased its number of workers by nearly 50 percent since January, and now employs more than 160 people.

The scaling of GTI's business is funded in part by the $67 million it raised through its listing on a Canadian stock exchange in June. The company has also raised an additional $61.6 million in a financing deal that closed earlier this month.

The company operates growing facilities in Rock Island and Oglesby.

"We're putting material dollars into Rock Island today ahead of what's coming in the program," said Ben Kovler, founder and chairman of GTI.</s>By The Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — The Illinois worker behind the lawsuit that led to the U.S. Supreme Court decision that eliminated fees paid by nonmembers of public employee unions is joining the group that oversaw his case.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services employee Mark Janus is joining the Illinois Policy Institute and its Liberty Justice Center on Aug. 1 as a “senior fellow.”

Janus argued against a 41-year-old ruling that had allowed states to require public employees to pay some fees to unions that represent them, even if the workers chose not to join. He said unions are political and employees shouldn’t be forced to pay.

The Supreme Court overturned the decision in June .

Policy Institute CEO John Tillman says Janus will ensure workers understand their rights as he tours the U.S.

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>CHICAGO, Aug. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A fire in a three-story apartment building in Chicago has resulted in eight deaths. Six children and two adults were killed after the fire broke out at 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 26th. Additionally, a teenager and young adult were taken to the hospital and are listed in critical condition. A firefighter was also injured while fighting the blaze. The building did not have a fire sprinkler system. Firefighters were unable to find working smoke detectors in the building. This is Chicago's largest fire fatality loss since the Cook County Administration Building high-rise fire that killed six people in 2004.

Chicago does not require fire sprinklers in existing apartments under 80 feet in height and when new apartments are constructed, fire sprinklers are not required until wood construction exceeds 30 feet in height. There have been three attempts to adopt the International Code Council (ICC) codes, which require all new apartments to have fire sprinklers and existing apartment buildings under 80 feet to have fire sprinklers when renovations occur in the building. Advocates have been educating and encouraging a change in the law for years, however, all attempts have been opposed by numerous building and real estate stakeholders.

This fire joins other recent fires in underscoring the need for fire sprinklers. A fire last week in San Antonio, Texas claimed the life of one, while a fire three weeks ago in San Marcos, Texas claimed the lives of five college students. Apartment and condo buildings present unique challenges for life safety, and as facts are examined, the realization that built in fire protection is needed becomes apparent. A fire in Prospect Heights, Illinois in July caused over $10 million dollars in damage to the River Trails condominium complex and placed hundreds of citizens' and firefighters' lives at risk. Not only are lives lost and lives changed forever for those injured, physically and mentally, but it is a loss of housing for the community and a loss of tax base. Fire in an uncontrolled state is devastating to lives, communities, and this country. Adopting the latest national building fire codes and standards will save lives and properties for decades to come, as these tragedies are avoidable.

"It's time for community leaders to realize there are steps they can take to ensure citizens and firefighters are safe," explains NFSA President Shane Ray. "Fire sprinklers are needed in apartment buildings. Progressive cities and states have required this for years, some, such as Maryland, for decades. Too many lives are being lost. We need to respond with proactive steps to make these buildings safer."

The National Fire Sprinkler Association is firm in the belief that fire sprinklers would have changed the outcome of these fires. The deaths of these unfortunate victims were needless and preventable. 2018 has been a year when, over and over again, our Association has had to respond to fatal apartment building fires across the country. Astonishingly, sprinklers were required in apartment buildings more than two stories in height and with more than 16 dwelling units in the 2000 edition of the ICC codes. Eighteen years later, unnecessary deaths are still occurring in apartment building fires across the U.S.

NFSA's Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board has also responded to this fire, with first-hand information about Chicago issues.

"Smoke alarms warn you when you have a fire and fire sprinklers stop a fire from becoming deadly," said Tom Lia, Executive Director, Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB). "Fire sprinklers were not required when this apartment building was built, and sadly, Chicago codes do not require fire sprinklers if this same building were built today."

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fires are more deadly today due to modern furnishings. A fire can become deadly in less than two minutes (NFPA 2018). Fire is fast. Unfortunately, children and older adults often can't hear a smoke alarm or react fast enough to escape the smoke. Fire sprinklers are individually heat activated and only the fire sprinkler closest to fire goes off, keeping the fire small and allowing time for all to escape. We know that fire sprinklers buy time and time buys life. Fire and building codes are a minimum and should be adopted to protect lives and property in the future.

About the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA): NFSA was founded in 1905 and wants to create a more fire safe world and works to heighten the awareness of the importance of fire sprinkler systems from homes to high-rise and all occupancies in between. The Association is an inclusive organization made up of dedicated and committed members of a progressive life-saving industry. This industry manufactures, designs, supplies, installs, inspects, and services the world's most effective system in saving lives and property from uncontrolled structural fires. For more information about fire sprinklers, how they work and access to additional resources and information, visit www.nfsa.org for the latest material, statistics and a dedicated team of fire safety advocates ready to serve all stakeholders in order to fulfill the vision of a safer world.
Eight people die in a house fire in Chicago, Illinois.