Close Call for Highland Park Firefighters

Two Highland Park firefighters had a close call while battling one of the first house fires of the new year.

Heavy smoke surrounded two firefighters working inside a home in the 4500 block of Livingston Avenue in Highland Park early Wednesday morning.

Those two became disoriented in the large, hot and dark house and couldn't find their way out. After calling for help, firefighters from both Highland Park and University Park went into rescue mode and found the pair in a matter of minutes.

All the firefighters escaped the home without injury.

"When you have a firefighter call for a Mayday, that's an emergency," said Sgt. Lance Koppa, with the Highland Park Fire Department. "Any firefighter in any firehouse will drop what they're doing to get to the scene and help out a fellow firefighter. In this case, we were very lucky."

The preliminary investigation into the fire showed the blaze started in the back chimney and spread into the walls of the home. The fire marshal is still investigating the exact cause of the fire.

NBC 5's Kendra Lyn contributed to this report.

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