Six innocent children were killed in a Chicago apartment fire last night..

[greatauntoftriplets]

Because their parents could not afford to pay the electric bill.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-060904fire-reaction,1,6782543.story?coll=chi-news-hed

[ulysses]

1. I read that this morning.

Gotta love our way of doing business sometimes...:grr:

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. That was a couple miles from where I used to live....

So damn sad.

Happily, the community is going into action to help the family.

Rogers Park Community Responds to Fire Tragedy
ROGERS PARK COMMUNITY
RESPONDS TO FIRE TRAGEDY
Fund Established to Assist Surviving Family Members


Community leaders in Chicago's Rogers Park community joined together to establish a fund to assist the Ramirez family after a fire swept their North of Howard home on September 3rd, taking the lives of six children.

The mother and an infant were treated for smoke inhalation and released. Two other children remain hospitalized from injuries suffered during the nighttime fire that reportedly was started by a candle.

The fund established by the Rogers Park Community Council, St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Alderman Joe Moore will assist the surviving family members as they recover. "Nothing is more tragic than the death of a child," said Moore. "To have six children die in one fire is a tragedy beyond compare," he added.

"Rogers Park is a tight knit community, and we want to do all we can to help this family," Moore said. Moore noted that offers of help have already poured into his office, including one Rogers Park landlord, who offered to house the family rent-free for several months.

"Community is about sharing human experiences and coming together to help one another in times of crisis," said Roy Witherow, President of the Rogers Park Community Council. "As a resident of the North of Howard community, my partner Brent and I offer our thoughts and prayers to the Ramirez family. We urge our neighbors to join with us to help this family."

The Ramirez family was a long-standing member of the St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Evanston, which joined Moore and the Rogers Park Community Council in establishing this fund. Two of the Ramirez children provided child care at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Evanston.

"Our hearts just broke when we heard what happened," said St. Luke's pastor, Janette Deferst. "St. Luke's looks forward to helping the Ramirez family in this time of tragedy. They meant so much to us in their ministry of childcare. We are grateful for the work they have done and the contribution they have made to our community," she added.

To make a tax deductible contribution to the fund, please make a check payable to the RPCC/Ramirez Family Fund. Checks may be dropped off or mailed to the Rogers Park Community Council, 1530 W. Morse, Chicago, IL 60626 or Alderman Joe Moore's Ward Service Office, 7356 N. Greenview, Chicago, IL 60626.

For additional information, call Cary Steinbuck at 773-338-7722, ext. 22, or Alderman Moore's Office at 773-338-5796.

[knowbody0]

2. really sad,

imagine the life they had. She had just had a new baby, making 10 in all.

[mike_c]

3. damn-- the winter heating season is coming, too...

...and this is a tragedy that repeats itself every year. Of course, if they can't contribute to the lawful profits of the energy corporation, they're expendable-- and less of a burden for the rest of us when they die.

I hope I don't really need to add :sarcasm:....

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. Yes, that was just for light....

and the electric company is raising rates next year. God only knows what people like that will do next. Heating gas rates are also insane, and Chicago is cold territory.

You did not need to add :sarcasm: for me, but you never know....

[Bozita]

5. Immigrant parents both worked long hours, one at a laundry

Says a lot about the current minimum wage.

[greatauntoftriplets]

7. Yes, it does say a lot about minimum wage....

And in Illinois it is now $6.50 per hour, which is higher that the national mandated wage.

[Bozita]

13. ... on Labor Day, no less!

[greatauntoftriplets]

14. Yes....

The kids old enough to attend school would have started tomorrow. At least their church is solidly behind them.

[riderinthestorm]

9. One news account says they went all last winter without heat too.

:cry:

10 children... at least it appears that the parents have a lot of love in their hearts, body and soul. What a horrible tragedy.

[greatauntoftriplets]

10. Damn, I hadn't seen that....

Just damn. Poor babies.

[WindRavenX]

8. fuck

:cry:

6? 6?? jesus. :cry:

[greatauntoftriplets]

11. Five siblings....

one child staying with the family. :cry:

[mcscajun]

12. That's horrifying. All those poor children, literally, poor.

and the Chicago Alderman, Joe Moore, missed the point entirely:
"This is an absolutely horrible tragedy," Moore said Sunday after walking through the building. "It really highlights the need for everyone to have smoke detectors in their home."

Yes, they should have had smoke detectors, but DAMN! What it highlights is urban POVERTY, you fool! (And I don't care What party he belongs to.)

[greatauntoftriplets]

16. True.

Today is Labor Day. People need to be paid a decent living wage.

The landlord claims there were smoke detectors hard wired into the building electrical system. Chicago has a law requiring working smoke and Co2 detectors. The city also has a law against people driving and talking on hand-held cell phones...yet I see it all the time.

[midnight]

24. When I heard that I was wondering about the landlord having

to be responsible for smoke detectors.

[ComerPerro]

15. why do I get the feeling that the landlord is lying his ass off

about the smoke detectors?

[Bozita]

18. Last summer, I bought smoke detectors at ACO for $2.99

Batteries INCLUDED!

[ComerPerro]

21. Was the place even set up for smoke detectors?

and, trust me, when a landlord won't even provide smoke detectors, he's a worthless shit.

Who knows what else he neglected.

[greatauntoftriplets]

23. He said the place was hard wired and had smoke detectors...

Other than that, I have no idea.

[elehhhhna]

25. Do hardwired detectors work when the power's cut off?

[greatauntoftriplets]

26. According to what I read there was supposed to be a battery backup...

Other than that, I am an idiot on anything mechanical. Or electrical. Sorry. And I have always lived in places that had battery operated detectors.

[greatauntoftriplets]

19. Very possible....

But no idea if he is. If he is lying, he is negligent, because Chicago has had a law for years mandating smoke detectors in all homes.

[ComerPerro]

22. which is an excellent motivation for lying

[Ilsa]

17. This is what "Uh-mer-ca" is now. Like the mother who told the

Chimpster in a town hall meeting in 2004 that she was working three jobs (teaching was one job), and he commented on great it is to be able to find that much employment.

And screw you if you can't afford electricity in August and Sept. :sarcasm:

[greatauntoftriplets]

20. My understanding is that the electricity had been turned off since May.

May and June were beautiful here. July was hotter than hell. My electric bill went way up. Last month was not so bad and it has been quite cool of late.

What a horrible experience you talk about. But quite typical for the chimpster in chief. Jeez.