Two firefighters suffer minor injuries battling Elgin house blaze

An electrical problem may have caused a fire that left a home uninhabitable and displaced its residents Saturday in Elgin, officials said Sunday.

Firefighters were dispatched to the two-story house on the 200 block of Gifford Place, near the Illinois National Guard Elgin Armory building, at 4:18 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

The home was occupied, but all residents managed to safely escape before firefighters arrived. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze, according to the fire department.

Flames were coming from the attic and most of the second floor when first crews arrived. They deployed three hoses to extinguish the blaze, which was brought under control in about an hour, officials said.

The structure sustained extensive damage to the second floor, with initial damage estimates in excess of $200,000. The city's code enforcement department was notified to follow up.

While initial indications show the cause may have been electrical in nature, the fire department continues to investigate, officials said.

Elgin crews were assisted by eight area departments as part of a mutual aid arrangement.