:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/JZZFFEH36JHUFKONNHQL3UGBH4.jpg)
An elderly man is in critical condition following a fire in Lockport that extensively damaged a residence.
About 10:12 a.m. on Tuesday, firefighters with Lockport Township Fire Protection District responded to a house fire in the 1600 block of Fairmount Avenue in unincorporated Lockport, according to a news release from Lockport Deputy Fire Chief Frank Blaskey.
When firefighters arrived on scene, they found a small, one-story residence in flames, Blaskey said.
“The fire was brought under control in approximately 10 minutes but caused extensive damage to the home,” Blaskey said.
An elderly man who resided at the home was able to leave before the firefighters arrived but had trouble breathing and collapsed at the scene, Blaskey said.
The man was taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox in critical condition, he said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by investigators with Lockport Township Fire Protection District, Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division 19 and Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Firefighters from Homer Township Fire Protection District, Northwest Homer Fire Protection District and Plainfield Fire Protection District provided assistance in the incident.