No injuries in Elgin basement fire

Fire erupted in the basement of a two-story house in Elgin Friday evening, authorities said.

Elgin firefighters were called to the 1000 block of Adams Street just after 5 p.m., according to Battalion Chief Bryan McMahan.

By that time, McMahan said, the fire was mostly out. “It was one of those that was raging by itself and ran out of oxygen.”

Firefighters had the fire under control by 5:25 p.m.

When firefighters arrived, no one was inside; the occupants had been out and, when they arrived back home, noticed black smoke pouring out and did not enter, McMahan said.

The fire that began in the basement burned through the doorway at the top of the basement stairs, spreading heat and smoke throughout the first floor but not the second floor, McMahan said.

The house was declared uninhabitable, and preliminary damage estimates are about $25,000 to the property and $10,000 to contents, he added.

The cause is still under investigation, and no firefighters were injured.