WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and Radio5-month old infant dies in Hamilton apartment fire

5-month old infant dies in Hamilton apartment fire

HAMILTON, Ill. (WGEM) -- Police have now identified the five-month-old girl killed in Tuesday's apartment fire that claimed multiple businesses in the 900 block of Broadway in Hamilton Tuesday.

Hamilton police report the victim as five-month-old Jillian A. Lorigan. An autopsy is scheduled today in Springfield. 

Nearly 20 people were rescued as the fire from apartments as the fire began in the multi-unit apartment building at 944 Broadway around 2 p.m. Tuesday. The 900 block of Broadway hosts businesses on the ground floor, with apartments on the second floor.

"We tried going into the building that was on fire, and there was people screaming at the front of it. We were able to get the ladder and the firemen came around and we were able to get the couple down the front of the building," said Hamilton Mayor Steve Woodruff.

Hamilton Police Chief Walter Sellens says that the fire started in the rear apartment of the building occupied by a mother and her three children. The mother told authorities that she woke up to find the apartment full of smoke and fire and was assisted by others to get herself and her 2-year-old and 3-year-old out of the building.

Crews were unable to rescue the five-month-old in that same apartment. Other tenants of the buildings were treated for minor smoke inhalation at the scene.

The fire spread west to 940 Broadway, which hosts Wayne's Appliance and apartments. The rear wall of that building collapsed due to fire damage. Officials later collapsed an unsafe front wall due to safety concerns.

The building at 924 Broadway, which hosted Lacey's Beauty Salon, Woodie's Clipper Shop and apartments, sustained major smoke and water damage.

Woodruff says over a dozen residents have been displaced by the fire. Crews from Hamilton, Warsaw, Carthage and Keokuk are responded to the scene. The Illinois State Fire Marshall's Office is investigating the fire and at this time has no reason to suspect foul play.