A Riverside home sustained serious damage from a fire that ignited in an attic early Monday morning.
The owner of the home at 216 Waubansee Road called 911 just after 2 a.m. to report the blaze. The homeowner and her husband were inside the home sleeping when the fire started. They reportedly were awakened by their dogs and were able to evacuate the home along with their pets before firefighters arrived. Smoke detectors inside the house also were working, according to a Riverside fire official.
The first Riverside trucks got to the home about 11 minutes after the homeowner called, and others from McCook and Lyons arrived to assist in extinguishing the fire, which was confined to the attic area of the house. Other departments lending assistance were Brookfield, Forest View, LaGrange, North Riverside Hinsdale and Pleasantview.
In addition to the fire and smoke damage in the attic area, the house sustained substantial water damage. The Riverside Fire Department estimated the damage to the home at about $80,000.
While the attic area is confirmed to be the origin of the fire, there’s no word on the cause of the blaze. The attic area is reportedly simply a storage area that was filled with numerous items.
The homeowners’ insurance company is expected to conduct its own investigation this week.
Gas and electric service were shut off and the home is currently not habitable. The homeowners reportedly were staying with a neighbor for the time being.
