Fire destroys million-dollar Oak Brook home

A million-dollar, single-family Oak Brook home was completely gutted in a late-evening fire Friday, village fire officials said.

A passer-by spotted flames shooting from the roof of the home in the Forest Gate subdivision shortly before 10:30 p.m. and ran to the Oak Brook fire station across the street to alert officials, Battalion Chief Jeffrey Marciniak said.

By the time crews arrived, flames venting through the roof extended more than 20 feet into the air. The home’s sole occupant was not home at the time.

The home, valued at nearly $1.6 million, was destroyed. Marciniak estimated the damage to be equivalent to the home’s value.

“There’s just a shell of the house remaining right now,” Marciniak said. “There’s almost nothing there.” Fire departments from 19 surrounding towns assisted in putting out the double-alarm fire over several hours Friday night. Ladder trucks from Oakbrook Terrace and Lombard provided elevated water streams to the heavily inflamed sections of the home.

Several neighboring homes in the small cul-de-sac were evacuated because of heavy smoke and a high potential for the fire to spread. The nearby roof of one home was charred and smoking. There were no injuries to neighbors or firefighters in putting out the fire.

The homeowner is staying with family in the area.

“The official cause is undetermined at this time,” Marciniak said. “There’s such extensive damage it’s going to take awhile to find the cause of the fire.”

The Oak Brook Police Department and DuPage County Fire Investigative Team are still investigating the fire’s cause.