Palatine resident injured while trying to put out fire

A Palatine resident suffered injuries Wednesday night while trying to put out a small bedroom fire that officials said should have been left to the professionals.

Palatine Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Gratzianna said the homeowner was injured while trying to drag a burning comforter into a bathtub shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Gratzianna said there have been instances where well-meaning people have done more damage to their property by trying to extinguish a fire on their own.

"Get your family out, get everybody safe," Gratzianna said. "Leave the fire fighting to the professionals."

The homeowner was taken to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights with non-life-threatening injuries. Firefighters removed two other adults who were still in the house when they arrived on the scene at 7:59 p.m.

Damage estimates were not available Thursday and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, officials said.