Bensenville fire leaves 30 without shelter

Roughly 30 people were rendered homeless Thursday and two people suffered minor injuries after a suspicious fire broke out in Bensenville, authorities said.

A Bensenville firefighter and a resident of the White Pines Apartment Complex were taken to Elmhurst Hospital where they were treated and released, officials said.

It took firefighters roughly half-hour to gain control of the blaze that broke out around 1:30 p.m. on the top floor of the three-story apartment building on Bridget Court.

"All the units had some type of smoke and fire damage and the cause is suspicious," Bensenville fire Lt. Jim Ivetiz said.

The DuPage County Arson Task Force and fire departments and districts from Itasca, Franklin Park, Wood Dale, Elmhurst, Leyden and Hillside assisted.

"We had tons of help out there and that aided in the smoothness of the call," Ivetiz said. "We did an excellent job."

Representatives from the American Red Cross were on the scene to help victims of the fire find a temporary place to stay, Ivetiz said. It will likely take at least three to four days before anyone can start moving back into the building, he added.

Most of the fire department crews left the scene around 5 p.m. but arson investigators were still there around 8:30 p.m.

If anyone has any information pertaining to the fire, they are asked to call the Bensenville Fire Department at (630) 350-3441.