Arlington Heights investigating home explosion

The investigation continued Thursday into an explosion in the basement of an Arlington Heights home that injured the homeowner and a firefighter, said Deputy Chief Ken Koeppen.

Firefighters believe the man was working with some type of flammable material, perhaps a liquid or epoxy to patch a hole in a wall. It is possible the fumes sank to the floor level and were set off by the water heater, said Koeppen.

Investigators plan to interview the man when he is released from Northwest Community Hospital, where he was taken for burns on his face. He was still being held Thursday evening.

The firefighter, who was injured in a flashover in the home's staircase was treated for slight smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion and released Wednesday night, said Koeppen.

The resident was able to escape the smoky basement, and his wife also escaped the two-story home in the 1100 block of South Fernandez Avenue before firefighters arrived. The firefighters evacuated the home after the flashover, and the first floor collapsed soon after.

A flashover is described as heat becoming so intense in an enclosed area that everything reaches ignition temperature at the same time.

The Arlington Heights Fire Department is the only government agency investigating the fire, said Koeppen.