Apartment fire in Elgin displaces a dozen families, sends two to hospital

A dozen families were displaced and two people were sent to the hospital after an apartment fire in Elgin on Wednesday morning.

According to a press release from the Elgin Fire Department, firefighters responded to the River’s Landing Apartments at about 6:30 a.m. after receiving reports of visible flames and smoke.

Crews found flames coming from a first-floor patio door, with the fire spreading to the unit above in the three-story building.

Firefighters quickly brought the fire under control and used ladders to rescue six residents from the building.

While the fire was limited to the two apartments, fire or smoke damage was reported in 12 of the building’s 48 units. The rest of the building’s units were habitable.

The two people taken to the hospital were said to have non-life-threatening injuries, and no other serious injuries were reported.

The 12 families are receiving temporary housing assistance from the Kane County Office of Emergency Management and the Red Cross.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the department’s Fire Investigation Team, and early findings suggest it was accidental. Damage to the building and its contents is estimated to exceed $1 million.