Arson suspected in Rolling Meadows apartment building fire
Rolling Meadows police are investigating whether Sunday morning's apartment building fire on the 4700 block of Arbor Drive was set deliberately.
"It is suspicious," Rolling Meadows police Sgt. Tony Gaspari said Monday. "In fact, we believe there's a good chance it could be arson."
Lab analysis of evidence from the scene could take as long as a month, however, before arson can be confirmed or ruled out, Gaspari said.
The fire is believed to have started in the center entryway of the 12 Oaks at Woodfield apartment complex. No one was injured in the fire that nonetheless temporarily displaced 80 residents from the approximately 30-unit building.
Mike Sparks, the apartment complex's owner, said he expects the building to be fully habitable by late Tuesday afternoon. The most recent damage estimate was $30,000 to $40,000.
Most of the damage to the two-story building was to doors broken during the rescue search and the electrical system, Rolling Meadows Fire Chief Ron Stewart said.
No apartment units appeared to have been burned, though the second floor was affected by rising smoke from the entryway, Stewart said.
The American Red Cross assisted with the emergency relocation of residents.
The fire alarm was activated at 6:05 a.m. Sunday, and 10 area fire departments assisted in extinguishing the flames by 6:48 a.m.
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<li><a href="/story/?id=381260">Rolling Meadows apartment fire displaces 80 <span class="date">[05/16/10]</span></a></li>
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