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Four Chicago Police Officers Rescue Family From East Garfield Park Fire

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Four Chicago police officers rushed into a burning building in the East Garfield Park neighborhood overnight to save a family trapped inside.

Shortly after midnight, the officers were on patrol in the 3900 block of West Congress Parkway, when they saw a two-story brownstone on fire.

A woman approached the officers' cruiser and said her family was trapped inside.

Four officers then ran into the building, and rescued a family of five from a fire- and smoke-filled apartment.

Peggy Madison said the victims – two women, a 5-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a 1-month-old – are her sisters, nieces, and nephews.

"I thank God for the police officers that was right here in the nick of time, that was able to save my family out of that fire," she said. "I thank God, because it could have went a different way."

Madison's relatives were taken to the hospital to be checked out. They were released later Monday morning.

The four officers also went to the hospital after suffering minor smoke inhalation, but were released later Monday morning.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

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