Lombard Fire responds to single-family house fire
LOMBARD, Illinois— The Lombard Fire Department responded to a residential house fire that may have been caused by a lightning strike and ignition of the home's natural gas meter late Friday night.
The fire occurred at 2S481 Hope Lane in the unincorporated Butterfield East subdivision of the Village.
Fire companies received information while en route to the fire that an occupant may still be in the home. Upon arrival, Lombard firefighters were met with a large fire in the two-car attached garage as well as an attic fire with extension to the living areas of the home. Companies aggressively performed a search for the occupant and also attacked the fire with multiple hose lines.
No occupants were found. The reported trapped resident had self-evacuated to a neighbor's home.
The resident sustained injuries from a fall while escaping the burning home and was transported by paramedics to Good Samaritan Hospital, according to Lombard Battalion Chief Chuck Ralis.
The alarm was upgraded to a “Box” alarm, which brought in additional fire companies to the scene to assist in fire suppression. Nicor was requested to the scene as a hazardous gas leak with fire required the fire companies to suppress the fire in the home without extinguishing the burning gas leak. This action reduced the risk of a gas explosion, according to Ralis. Nicor personnel arrived and coordinated with the fire companies to perform a rapid gas line location and a dig to plug the gas line. Once the gas flow was stopped, firefighters worked to overhaul and extinguish the remaining hot spots in the home. The home was severely damaged and is deemed uninhabitable at this time. Some fire damage was also found on the neighboring home to the south.
The Lombard Fire Department was assisted on the scene by the DuPage County Sheriff's Police and fire companies from York Center Fire Protection District, Addison Fire Department, Oakbrook Terrace Fire Department, Elmhurst Fire Department, Carol Stream Fire Protection District, Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection District, Downers Grove Fire Department, Westmont Fire Department, Darien-Woodridge Fire Protection District, Glenside Fire Protection District, Hinsdale Fire Department and Wheaton Fire Department.