Smoke alarm alerts Palatine person to flee fire

A resident of a Palatine multifamily building whose kitchen caught fire Sunday morning was awaked from sleep by a smoke detector and escaped without injury, fire officials said Monday.

The Palatine Fire Department received a report at 11:07 a.m. of smoke coming from a three-story building in the 400 block of East Osage Lane. The first crew arrived in 5 minutes and reported smoke coming from the first and second floors. The crews determined there was a kitchen fire on the second floor, which was under control in 15 minutes.

Palatine police assisted residents out of the building prior to the arrival of the fire department. Two residents on the third floor were found in their unit unharmed and were assisted out by fire personnel.

The unit where the fire originated was deemed uninhabitable, but the other five units in the building still were livable, officials said. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. A damage estimates was not available.

Eighteen members of the Palatine Fire Department along with personnel from the Arlington Heights Fire Department responded to the call.

Fire personnel said the occupant’s experience points up the importance of having working smoke detectors in buildings. Batteries should be changed twice yearly and families should plan together on what to do if they have a fire in their home or apartment.