Summer is approaching and residents will be opening their windows to let fresh air inside and to cool off. But open windows can pose a danger to children, as seen earlier this week on the North Side in separate incidents.
Summer is approaching and residents will be opening their windows to let fresh air inside and to cool off. But open windows can pose a danger to children, as seen earlier this week on the North Side in separate incidents. Two toddlers fell out of the window of their respective homes Thursday. In the wake of the accidents, the Chicago Fire Department said a reminder about window safety is necessary. Windows should not be open higher than four inches, and climbable furniture should be kept away from windows in homes where children reside, said a fire department spokesman. “All windows should have safety locks on them so the window could be raised higher than four inches if there is a fire, and the lock should be high enough so a child can’t access it,” said Fire Chief Joe Roccasalva, a spokesman for the department. Screened windows provide no added safety, but window guards will, he said. “Screens keep bugs out, not kids in. It’s not a safety device. You can have window guards, but they need to have a release button,” Roccasalva said. Roccasalva said window locks and guards may be found at hardware and home improvement stores. A two-year-old boy was taken to Children’s Memorial Hospital late Thursday after falling out of a second-floor window. According to police, the boy’s injuries included scrapes and bruises to his arms and shoulders. Authorities said the boy’s mother was at home at the time of the accident. Earlier, a 4-year-old boy was seriously injured after falling from a second story window. Police said the 4-year-old suffered skull and wrist fractures and that there were other people inside the apartment when the incident occurred. Authorities say the boy was found by relatives and was taken to Children’s Memorial Hospital. ______ Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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