Man injured in Elgin fire Monday

A 40-year-old man was injured Monday night in a house fire on the 1600 block of Sheffield Drive in Elgin, authorities said.

Officials were called to the blaze at 9:30 p.m. and found heavy smoke in a basement bedroom of the split-level home.

The small fire was quickly extinguished, authorities said, and the man was treated and then transported to Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin for smoke inhalation. The man had tried putting out the fire with a dry chemical extinguisher.

Fire investigators determined the blaze was caused by a teenage occupant of the home playing with a lighter in bed.

All six members of the family had evacuated the house prior to the arrival of firefighters. None of the five others were injured, authorities said.

Damage to the property was primarily contained to the one room, and the occupants were able to return to the home once the smoke was cleared.

Fire department officials said the preliminary damage estimate to the building and contents is approximately $10,000.