One dead in Glen Ellyn area fire
A structure fire in unincorporated DuPage County near Glen Ellyn claimed a life Saturday morning.
Two homes on Western Avenue south of North Avenue were on fire when the Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Company arrived on scene at 11:01 a.m. According to department, the fire was quickly upgraded to a box alarm fire, with "heavy fire" coming from the second story and roof of one home.
Firefighters helped one resident evacuate. He informed them that a second man was likely still inside.
After a search of the house, firefighters found the second man, who did not survive.
Neighbor Michael Olsen said he has known the surviving homeowner for about 15 years. "He was one of the best people I know. It's a bad, bad circumstance that happened to good people," he said.
Olsen said the owner was distraught but physically OK. A board-up crew was working on securing the house, and Olsen said representatives of a couple of churches had stopped by to offer assistance.
The DuPage County Fire Investigation Task Force is investigating to determine the cause of the fire. Both homes sustained severe damage.
• Daily Herald staff writer James Kane contributed to this report.