No one hurt in Elgin house fire

No one was injured in an early Monday morning house fire on the 800 block of Brook Street in Elgin.

The fire call came at 3:32 a.m. after a resident of the home smelled smoke. The Elgin Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire within minutes, according to a news release from the department. Residents of the home left safely.

Officials said the fire, located in the rear portion of the house, was caused by logs used in an outdoor fireplace the previous evening that were stored near the house.

When firefighters arrived, fire had spread to the walls of the house, and smoke was cleared by the use of high-pressure fans. Smoke detectors in the house were working, but fire officials determined the smoke was not sufficiently dense to activate them.

The total damage estimate for the house is $10,000, though the family was able to move back in immediately after fire crews left.

Fire officials passed along two tips as the result of the fire: No 1: Always allow wood used in an outdoor fire at least one day to cool before storing. No. 2: Always be sure there are at least two means of escape from a house. Fire officials said the front door of the Brook Street home was being replaced and the entrance was covered with plywood; exterior storm windows prevented escape through the front of the house, which forced the residents to leave through the rear of the house.