Mount Prospect attic fire leaves home uninhabitable

A Mount Prospect residence was deemed uninhabitable after a Thursday night house fire - the village's third in the last week, officials said.

Firefighters responded about 9:54 p.m. to a home in the 1800 block of Locust Lane, where flames were seen coming from the roof, Fire Chief Brian Lambel said. The blaze was mostly contained in the attic and was brought under control in about 20 minutes.

Crews had to pull down part of the second-floor ceiling to access the attic and put out spot fires, Lambel said. Damage is estimated at $150,000.

A resident was home at the time and was able to escape safely, he said. No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, though fire officials believe it was accidental.

With three house fires in Mount Prospect within a week, Lambel said he's encouraging residents to take extra precautions and use safe practices while cooking or heating their homes.

Fireplaces should be cleaned and inspected annually, he said, and space heaters should be kept away from combustible materials and be checked regularly to ensure they're operating properly. He also warned against leaving cooking unattended and using ovens for storage.