Elgin dumpster fire damages apartment buildings, six cars

Elgin fire investigators are working to determine what sparked a fire inside a wooden dumpster enclosure at a city apartment complex Friday that damaged six cars parked nearby as well as two adjacent buildings.

Firefighters responding to the Blackhawk Apartments at 938 Congdon Ave. at 8:38 p.m. Friday found the enclosure and four plastic dumpsters inside on fire, along with two vehicles parked on either side of the structure. They were able to get the blaze under control within 12 minutes, officials said.

According to the Elgin Fire Department, two of the damaged vehicles are a total loss, and the buildings at 938 and 958 Congdon Ave. sustained melted siding and damaged windows. This damage did not require any residents be evacuated.

There were no injuries reported, although an additional ambulance responded to the complex for a person having difficulty breathing unrelated to the fire.

The fire caused an estimated $250,000 in damage, authorities said.