Firefighter on way to work 'did what I'm supposed to do': Helps rescue tenants after spotting burning building

People typically stop at a coffeehouse or newsstand on their wayto work.

On Sunday, firefighter Kevin Wirtz stopped to rescue people from aburning building.

Wirtz had just exited the Eisenhower Expy. at California en routeto the Engine 44 firehouse at 412 N. Kedzie around 6:45 a.m. whenbillows of black smoke in the distance caught his eye.

Without hesitation, he started driving toward the smoke, figuringhe could help out firefighters who he assumed already were on thescene.

But when he got to the three-story apartment building at 38 N.Albany, he saw two men standing on the sidewalk looking up at theburning structure and people leaning out of …