New smoke detector helps Wauconda couple escape fire

A Wauconda couple escaped their burning home unharmed early Friday morning after a newly installed smoke detector alerted them to a fire that left more than $40,000 in damage, authorities said.

Fire crews dispatched to the 26800 block of Morey Street at 12:53 a.m. found the ranch home fully involved in the fire, according to the Wauconda Fire District.

The homeowners — a husband and a wife — had safely exited before fire crews arrived, and no injuries were reported.

They told authorities they had recently purchased the property and installed a new smoke detector just four days earlier.

It took firefighters from 11 area fire departments a half-hour to extinguish the blaze. Authorities said one of the homeowners attempted to put out the fire himself before calling 911, and the 10- to 15-minute delay allowed it to grow in intensity.

No fire hydrants were nearby since the house is located in a rural area, so fire crews had to bring in water tenders to extinguish the blaze, authorities said.

The male homeowner told investigators he initially saw the fire in an area next to the living room fireplace, which he and his wife were using earlier in the evening.

Authorities said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.