Updated May 29, 3:15 p.m.
A home across the street from Riverside-Brookfield High School sustained severe damage Tuesday morning from a fire that ignited on a rear deck and engulfed the home.
According to Riverside Fire Chief Spencer Kimura, a barking dog awoke an occupant of the home a few minutes prior to 5:15 a.m. That person saw flames outside the house, heard a crackling sound and was able to wake up two others and flee the home before the wood-frame structure at 199 Ridgewood Road was fully involved.
A total of 15 suburban fire departments, including Brookfield and North Riverside, responded to the scene and Ridgewood Road was shut down for more than three hours, said Kimura. School was not in session Tuesday.
Kimura said the house sustained “substantial damage” and was uninhabitable. The fire caused approximately $150,000 in damage, according to Kimura. The cause of the fire has not been determined, but appears to have started outside on a rear deck. The cause appears accidental, said Kimura, and is not considered suspicious.
Minor damage was done to houses on either side of the property. A large tree in the backyard was also extensively scorched. Kimura said that firefighters rescued one cat from the building. A second cat died in the blaze. Firefighters remained on the scene checking the building for hot spots until just after 10 a.m.
