Just after 0327 hrs, units from Kentland and surrounding areas were alerted for a report of smoke in the building at 3401 Dodge Park Rd. Engine 332 and Tower Ladder 33 responded on the run with 12 volunteers. As the units made the short trip from the firehouse to Dodge Park, smoke could be seen rising from the area. As the companies turned into the apartment complex fire could be seen coming from a terrace level apartment on the C-Charlie side of a 3 story in the front, 4 stories in the rear garden apartment building. Both units positioned on side A-alpha and were met with a crowd of frantic people stating that a woman was trapped in the fire apartment and that there were also oxygen bottles in the apartment. Engine 332’s crew stretched the 250’ 1 ½” attack line into the building towards the downstairs apartment as the Tower Ladder interior team headed in to force entry and initiate a rapid primary search. Crews were met with heavy smoke conditions and zero visibility as they made their way to the reported apartment. At the entrance of the fire apartment, Sgt. Scott Sturmer (lineman) and Sgt. Tim Moore (layout) were the first to locate a handicapped woman laying in the smoke filled hallway. Knowing the heavy fire conditions in the apartment and the responsibilities each had to extinguish the fire, the two passed the woman down the hallway to the interior crew of the Tower Ladder. Sgt. Matt Hall (barman) drug the large victim to the base of the stairwell where he was met by Capt. John Burns (Engine OIC) and Capt. Joe Brown (Tower OIC). The men worked feverishly to hoist the heavy victim up the interior stairwell to the upper entrance of the building and out to awaiting EMS. Knowing that forcing the apartment door would release extreme heat up the stairwell and onto the rescue efforts, Sturmer and Moore patiently held the door with their charged handline. Once the initial victim was removed to safety the interior team returned to the apartment door and entry was made. Crews encountered extreme heat conditions and zero visibility as they worked to complete the primary search in the fire apartment. While this aggressive interior attack was taking place, as a similar aggressive operation was taking place on the exterior. Firefighter Fred Caramiello, operating as the outside vent man on the Tower, was alerted by screaming coming from a third floor window. Caramiello looked up to see a father holding his 2 year old child out the window stating he wanted to drop him to bystanders. FF Carmelio with 35’ ladder already in hand shouted to the man to stay calm and not to drop the child. FF Caramiello assisted by Firefighter Don Aker (Engine Chauffeur) scaled the deployed 35’ ladder and retrieved the child from the father as smoke issued from the apartment. 3 other adults were removed via the same window as FF Tracy Coe (roof) removed 1 more adult via a 24’ ladder from an adjacent window. A similar situation was unfolding in the rear of the building as Truck Company 9 (Bladensburg) removed 6 occupants including another child dangling from their parents arms. Victims in the windows of the 4th floor were told to stand by as crews worked to ventilate the smoke and heat charged stairwell. The interior teams found fire in several rooms of the apartment and quickly knocked it down as the primary search proved negative beyond the initial victim. The Tower interior crew now turned their attention to the top floor where banking smoke was still trapping occupants. Tower 33’s roof team, vertically ventilated the stairwell releasing trapped heat and smoke. With better conditions in the stairwell than in 4th floor apartments, the Tower Ladder crew made the decision to remove the additional 6-8 occupants from the building via the interior stairwell. Truck Company 9 completed searches on the 2nd and 3rd floors along with Truck Company 28 (West Lahnam). Once the smoke cleared multiple oxygen bottles were found in the room or origin including one which had vented itself during the fire. In all, over 18 occupants were removed from the building by units operating on this fire. All crews worked quickly, efficiently and cooperatively to protect both life and property in a situation that could have truly turned tragic. Units operated for over 2 hours assisting investigators and completing overhaul. The victim removed from the fire apartment was transported to a local hospital and is listed in stable condition.