Early morning fire destroys South Elgin house, damages house next door
No injuries were reported in a Wednesday morning fire that destroyed a South Elgin house and damaged the house next door.
South Elgin firefighters were called to a house in the 600 block of Fairview Lane about 3:34 a.m., Assistant Fire Chief Steve Wascher said. The garage and two vehicles in the driveway were fully engulfed in flames, he said, and the fire was moving into the main body of the two-story structure when firefighters arrived.
A couple, their adult son and a dog were able to safely evacuate the residence.
Firefighters battled the blaze until it was largely under control about 5:30 a.m., South Elgin fire Capt. Matt Starr said. Twelve other departments assisted by responding to the scene or helping with other calls.
The fire originated in the garage, but the cause remained undetermined Wednesday afternoon, Chief Bill Sohn said. "We might never know," he said, pointing to the severity of the damage and the safety hazard of conducting a thorough investigation in the garage area.
A gas meter broke during the blaze, Wascher said, and some oxygen tanks used by one of the residents for medical purposes exploded inside the house.
The fire also spread to a neighboring house to the north, damaging its siding and attic, Wascher said. The couple who live there were able to get out safely but will likely be displaced "for some time," he said.
No civilians or first responders were injured, though some residents were treated for minor smoke inhalation and released, officials said.
Khyla Montgomery, who lives in the house south of where the fire originated, said she woke up to what sounded like an explosion. There was another loud "boom" after she ran outside to make sure her neighbors had gotten out safely, she said.
The residents told Montgomery they were able to evacuate and call 911 after they heard their smoke alarm going off.
"They're pretty shaken up," she said. "They lost everything."
A GoFundMe page was created Wednesday to raise money for the family who lived in the house that was destroyed. The goal is $10,000.
Residents of both houses are staying with relatives, Wascher said. Damage estimates were not immediately available.
Nicor Gas crews shut down a line just before 9 a.m., allowing crews to finish extinguishing the fire, Wascher said. Firefighters from the South Elgin and Countryside Fire Protection District remained at the scene for several hours to investigate.
• Daily Herald staff writers Lee Filas and Chacour Koop contributed to this story.