Fire at NW Indiana subdivision destroys 5 homes, no injuries

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - A fire at a northwestern Indiana subdivision destroyed five homes and produced a column of smoke visible miles away.

West Lafayette Fire Chief Tim Heath says no one was injured in Friday afternoon's fire but one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.

He says crews contained the fire about two hours after it was reported at the Lindberg Village subdivision.

Heath tells the Journal & Courier that five houses were destroyed and a sixth suffered heat damage. All of the pets were rescued from the affected homes, one of which was vacant.

It's unclear what sparked the blaze. Heath says State Fire Marshal office investigators will determine the cause of the fire in the city that's about 65 miles (104 kilometers) northwest of Indianapolis.

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Information from: Journal and Courier, http://www.jconline.com