Early morning fire injures Palatine homeowner

A Palatine homeowner suffered minor injuries and her residence was deemed uninhabitable early Tuesday morning after fire broke out in a townhouse.

Palatine Fire Department crews called to the home on the 1400 block of North Waterbury Circle at 3:37 a.m. arrived to find heavy fire and smoke on the second floor. The fire was contained to the second floor and partial attic space, but the first floor had considerable water and smoke damage, according to the fire department.

Firefighters had to open numerous walls and ceilings in adjacent units to check if flames were spreading. The fire was declared under control at 4:20 a.m., according to the department.

A damage estimate was not immediately available, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the fire department. No working smoke detectors were found in the residence, officials said.

The homeowner suffered minor burns to her lower legs and was transported to a hospital for treatment, the fire department said in a news release.

Twenty-four firefighters, staffing four engines, one ladder truck, one rescue squad and three ambulances responded to the scene along with three command officers and two fire investigators. A unit from the Long Grove Fire Department stood by in a Palatine fire station to provide coverage for any additional calls. Palatine police officers also assisted at the scene, according to the fire department.

The Palatine Fire Department reminds everyone to have working smoke detectors in their homes, whether a single-family dwelling, an apartment or a condo.