Fire near Warrenville caused by overloaded electrical power strip

There were no reported injuries to residents or a pet reptile in a fire Thursday morning in a home near Warrenville, authorities said.

The fire was caused by an overloaded electrical power strip, Warrenville Fire Protection District investigators determined. The district also provided tips about “critical electrical safety” to prevent other fires.

Power strips, for instance, should be connected directly to a wall outlet. Strips must never be “daisy-chained” (plugged into one another) or plugged into an extension cord, the district advised.

Other safety tips include regularly checking power strips and cords for damage; avoiding running cords through walls, under carpets, or across doorways; ensuring proper ventilation; and only using models that are UL-listed (Underwriters Laboratories).

The fire broke out in a two-story wood-frame residence in a neighborhood to the east of Fermilab.

Just before 8 a.m., the DuPage Public Safety Communications Center received a 911 call from a person reporting a bedroom fire.

The first district unit arrived at the home within six minutes of being dispatched.

Crews confirmed that all occupants had safely evacuated the home.

A family pet, a bearded dragon lizard, was discovered in the basement, which was a safe area, and was sheltered in place as the fire was brought under control, the district said in a news release. The fire was extinguished within 11 minutes of the first companies arriving at the home.

Crediting a rapid response and operations to extinguish the fire, the district estimated roughly $300,000 in property was saved.

The home was also deemed to be habitable by the city of Warrenville building department.