Fire at Naperville apartments causes costly damages

A fire at a Naperville apartment complex late Sunday morning resulted in expensive damages and displaced families, but no injuries.

An automatic fire alarm touched off at 1449 Fairway Drive just after 11 a.m. on Sunday. It was followed by a 911 call from a resident of the complex that smoke was entering the apartment of the caller.

Given the size of the complex, a total of 26 rescue personnel and 13 fire units were dispatched to the scene. Light smoke and fire were visible in the laundry facilities area on the third floor of the complex as firefighters explored the scene. The flames were trapped between the second and third floors of the complex, requiring the ripping apart of walls, ceilings and floors in the area to extinguish the blaze. Firefighters extinguished the flames within 30 minutes, but the scene was searched for a full hour for any lingering embers.

Three of the six apartments in the building were rendered uninhabitable, causing all the residents to be displaced to local hotels.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Initial damage estimates to the building and its contents are about $500,000.