Fire breaks out in Elgin shop

A fire at a formal dress store in Elgin caused nearly $45,000 worth of damage and destroyed most of the shop's on-display inventory, fire officials said Tuesday.

Acting Battalion Chief Bryan McMahan said Ofelia Flores, owner of Natalia's Place, 1062 Dundee Ave., noticed the fire at 12:33 p.m.

The cause of the fire is unknown, but McMahan said Flores told investigators that some candles were placed near evening gowns near the front of the store. Because of the fire's location, firefighters had to force open the front door and break out a window.

No one was injured in the fire as Flores and her daughter left the building through a back entrance.