ELECTRICAL SHORT THOUGHT TO CAUSE FIRE

The La Grange Fire Department responded to a house fire at 5:10 p.m., Sunday, August 30, 2009, located at 130 N. Catherine Avenue. The residents were home at the time, in the first floor kitchen preparing dinner and were alerted to the fire by the installed smoke alarm activating on the second floor of the home. All occupants safely evacuated their home.

On arrival of the La Grange Fire Department, smoke was visible from the third floor of the home. Upon making entry into the home, heavy smoke conditions were encountered on the third floor of the single-family structure. Upon further investigation the fire was found to be located in a bedroom closet on the third floor.

The response was upgraded to a Box Alarm (MABAS Division 10) for mutual aid assistance to the fire scene. Additional fire crews performed a search of the structure, ventilation of the fire area, salvage to a second floor room and hallway immediately below the fire and checked for any extension of the fire beyond the room of origin. In addition to the La Grange fire units, thirteen departments responded to the scene and two departments covered the La Grange Fire Station. The fire was under control at 5:30 p.m. and struck out at 5:48 p.m. Fire companies remained on the scene until 7:00 p.m.

Due to an aggressive interior attack of the fire by the initial arriving Fire Departments, the fire was contained to the third floor bedroom. One room on the second floor immediately below the fire sustained some water damage. The power had to be shut off and the structure was determined to be uninhabitable. Damage is estimated at $ 50,000 structure and contents.

The origin of the fire was in a closet on the third floor of the residence. Following an initial investigation by the MABAS Division 10 Investigation Team the cause of the fire appears to be an electrical short in nature; the structure was turned over to the owners and their insurance company.

If you require additional information, please contact Fire Chief David Fleege at the La Grange Fire Department, (708)579-2338.