Dog killed, house gutted by Maple Park fire

A Maple Park family’s dog was killed in a large fire that destroyed their home Tuesday afternoon, according to fire officials.

Firefighters arrived at the ranch home on the 49W500 block of Thatcher Road just after 12:25 p.m. and found the house ablaze, said Maple Park Fire Chief Kevin Peterson.

“It was pretty involved when we got on the scene,” Peterson said. “Shortly after we arrived, it was going through the roof. It was a defensive effort to start with.”

Fourteen area fire departments assisted fighting the two-alarm blaze, officials said.

Nobody was home when the fire started, and no firefighters were injured, Peterson said.

Investigators estimated the damage to the home and its contents at more than $300,000, Peterson said.

It took firefighters about two hours to bring the flames under control, and eight water tankers were needed because the rural area does not have any fire hydrants, Peterson said.

The cause of the blaze remained under investigation late Tuesday, but officials said the fire started in a sun porch area near the back of the home.

Peterson said the Red Cross assisted the family in finding temporary accommodations.