Drywall and fire door credited in helping contain Arlington Heights garage fire

Homeowners and fire department officials credit a fire door and drywall in helping to prevent a garage fire from spreading into an Arlington Heights single-family home early Friday.

The drywall in the garage and the door, which leads from the garage to the inside of the house, helped contain the fire that broke out about 5 a.m. Friday on Chestnut Avenue near Oakton Street, according to Deputy Fire Chief Ron Fraider.

The homeowners were awaked by smoke detectors and were able to escape unharmed with their family dog, Fraider said.

Four vehicles were damaged by the blaze - two that were parked in the garage and two on the driveway. Two of the cars were a total loss, he said.

Fire department investigators are still probing a cause of the fire.

There was no structural damage to the two-story house.

"The initial crews on scene did an excellent job of attacking the fire and getting it under control," Fraider said. "It was a pretty quick knock on the main body fire."