Off-duty firefighter helps neighbors escape St. Charles blaze

An off-duty Geneva firefighter helped three neighbors escape unharmed early Sunday after fire swept through their St. Charles home, causing an estimated $100,000 in damage, authorities said.

According to the St. Charles Fire Department, firefighters were called to the home on the 1000 block of Ronzheimer Avenue about 2:18 a.m. Sunday. They arrived about five minutes later to find one residence fully in flames and flames extending to a neighboring home, authorities said.

Firefighters were able to first stop the spread of the fire into the second home and then get the main fire under control within 40 minutes, according to the fire department.

Officials said a neighbor returning home from work early Sunday first spotted the fire and called 911, while her husband, the off-duty firefighter, woke up the residents. No residents or firefighters were injured, officials said, but the off-duty firefighter suffered a minor injury.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The home's residents will be staying with relatives, officials said.

The St. Charles Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Geneva, Batavia, Elburn and West Chicago fire departments.