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Embers may have caused Mundelein-area house fire

Embers from open burning likely is the cause of a fire Sunday that rendered a Mundelein-area house uninhabitable, according to authorities.

The Countryside Fire Protection District received a call about 1:37 p.m. from the owner of a house on the 27000 block of La Vista Drive near the Steeplechase golf course, who smelled smoke and saw fire on the roof, according to a fire department release.

Crews removed the ceiling from the second floor to extinguish a fire that had spread into the large attic space. The fire was contained to the roof and attic, according to the release.

The three people in the house at the time were able to get out safely and no injuries were reported, department officials said, but the structure was rendered uninhabitable. Damage was estimated at $100,000, Countryside Fire Lt. Ron Cielek said.

Countryside was assisted by the Mundelein, Libertyville, Long Grove, Wauconda, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Barrington departments and the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

The investigation continues, but open burning of brush had occurred just before the fire downwind from the area that ignited, firefighters said. It is likely embers from open burning of brush about 25 feet away ignited the cedar shake roof, Cielek said.

Visit www.countrysidefire.com/general for information regarding open burning regulations.

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