One injured in Palatine garage fire

Nearly two dozen firefighters battled a blaze in Palatine Saturday evening that damaged a garage in a six-unit townhouse building and left one resident with nonlife-threatening injuries.

Palatine firefighters called to the residence in the 1700 block of St. Marks Place at 6:14 p.m. found a fire burning in the attached garage of a two-story unit.

The first crew arrived on the scene in less than two minutes and attacked the fire with a 1¾” hose line, fire officials said. Other firefighters stretched a supply line to a fire hydrant, made entry into the structure to search for possible occupants and pulled a second 1¾” hose line.

Firefighters had to open up the drywall in the walls and ceiling of the garage to ensure there was no hidden fire in enclosed spaces, according to the Palatine Fire Department.

Crews also accessed the roof to determine whether fire spread into the attic. The fire was declared under control at 6:30 p.m.

The home was occupied by three residents, one of whom was present at the time of the fire. The adult female was transported to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights with injuries not considered life-threatening, officials said.

Palatine police assisted at the scene with traffic and crowd control. No firefighters were injured.

The townhouse sustained moderate damage to the garage, as well as to the walls and ceilings in the fire area. The residence also had minor smoke damage throughout. Total damage to the structure and contents is initially estimated at $9,000.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though officials said initial indications are that it was set accidentally.