Smoke detector saves 4 in Elgin

Had it not been for a screaming smoke detector, officials shudder to think what would have happened to a sleeping family of four resting inside a west-side Elgin home that caught fire Sunday afternoon.

"It woke them up and saved their lives," Battalion Chief Tim Michaels said of the smoke detector.

The fire, estimated to have caused between $3,000 and $5,000 worth of damage, began and ended in the basement at 402 Miller Drive, Michaels said.

With help from the South Elgin Fire Protection District, it took between 15 and 20 minutes for firefighters to bring the flames under control, Michaels said.

Nobody was injured in the blaze that began at 1:49 p.m. and left the home uninhabitable, Michaels said.

The family of four was staying at an area hotel, as a result. The fire's cause is under investigation.