Fire destroys four Wheeling townhouse units; cause under investigation

A fire that started in Wheeling's Arlington Club subdivision destroyed four units in an eight-unit townhouse building in the 1600 block of Newburn Court Tuesday night.

Wheeling Fire Chief Keith MacIsaac says the cause of the fire that began around 7:30 p.m. is still under investigation but appears to be accidental.

MacIsaac says the fire originated in a center garage where residents were running a business.

"They used the garage for storage and shipping, and the products were highly flammable and combustible," he said.

The products made it difficult to fight the fire, he said.

McIsaac said he could not confirm the nature of the business or what kind of products were stored in the garage, pending further investigation.

Wheeling firefighters called on the help of 10 neighboring fire departments to extinguish the blaze, and MacIsaac says the fire was under control by 10 p.m.

One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion on the scene, and no other injuries were reported.

The Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois provided housing, clothing, food and medication for three adults and two children who were displaced after the fire, Red Cross Chief Communications Officer Martha Carlos said.

The five individuals are from two separate families, but it's unclear whether they were all living in the same unit, Carlos said.

The Wheeling Fire Department continues to investigate the degree of damage and the cause of the fire, he said.