Residents escape uninjured from Mount Prospect house fire

Smoke detectors alerted residents of a Mount Prospect home to a fire early Thursday morning, allowing them to escape without injury, authorities said.

Mount Prospect firefighters were called to the home on the 900 block of South See Gwun at about 1:45 a.m., the fire department said in a news release. Heavy smoke billowed out of the single-family residence when firefighters arrived.

Firefighters brought the fire under control within 20 minutes. The fire appears to have started in the basement, and investigators believe it was accidental, caused by an electrical malfunction, the news release said. Firefighters from Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Township, Rolling Meadows and Glenview assisted on the scene. Damage is estimated at $100,000, the news release said.

Authorities say that working smoke detectors woke the residents of the home and gave them time to exit safely. The Mount Prospect Fire Department urges all residents to check their smoke detectors to make sure they're working properly. Department personnel will help residents who are unable to install or test their detectors. For information, call the Mount Prospect Fire Prevention Bureau at (847) 818-5253.