Early morning fire damages townhouses on Elgin's west side, residents escape unharmed

Townhouses on Elgin's west side were damaged in an early morning fire Saturday, according to a news release from the Elgin Fire Department.

According to the release, the department responded at 6:15 a.m. to a report of a fire in the kitchen at a townhouse in the 300 block of Belmont Street.

Upon arrival, the release said, firefighters saw heavy smoke coming from the building. Crews entering the structure extinguished a large volume of fire while also searching three townhouses to confirm the residents escaped.

Damages are estimated in excess of $300,000.

Nobody was hurt in the fire. One resident was treated on the scene for an unrelated medical condition.

Two townhouses are uninhabitable; all other families have returned to their homes. The fire is under investigation.