Fire causes $125,000 in damage to St. Charles home

A fire that left a St. Charles home uninhabitable Sunday afternoon was caused by discarded ashes from a recreational fire the day before, officials said.

Fire crews responded to the 1800 block of South Third Place about 1:41 p.m. after a neighbor called 911, according to the St. Charles Fire Department. When they arrived three minutes later, they found the fire burning from the exterior of the house into the interior and the attic.

Nobody was home at the time of the fire, which was under control in about 30 minutes, officials said, and no injuries were reported.

The fire, which was determined to be an accident, started from ashes that had been disposed of in a plastic garbage can after a recreational fire Saturday evening, authorities said.

It caused about $125,000 in damage to the house and its contents.