Cause unknown in apartment fire

Comments (...)

E-mail this story

Print this story

Comments

Share

DeKALB – No one was injured in a fire at an apartment complex late Friday night.

The DeKalb Fire Department was called to 1001 W. Lincoln Highway at around 10:15 p.m. where crews found "significant smoke" coming from the the roof of one of the buildings of Old Orchard Place Townhouses, according to a written statement from the fire department.

The cause of the fire, which began in the attic above an apartment, is unknown and is under investigation, DeKalb Fire Chief Bruce Harrison said.

Harrison said he believes the apartment where the fire began is currently unoccupied as it is being fixed up. He was unsure Saturday afternoon if the rehab work was related to the fire.

The amount of damage is estimated at $250,000.

Crews contained the fire, which spread to four apartment units, in about 45 minutes. Also responding were units from Sycamore, Cortland, Waterman, Hinckley, Genoa-Kingston, Malta and Maple Park.

Harrison said that about 30 residents, all Northern Illinois University students, were displaced. All residents except for those living in five units were allowed back into their apartments, he said. Harrison expects the five units that suffered the worst damage to be uninhabitable for a significant period of time.

NIU Student Affairs and the DeKalb County Chapter of the Red Cross assisted displaced residents, where they stayed temporarily at the Stevens Building on the NIU campus, Harrison said.

Comments