Fire damages home
By Linda Girardi For The Sun December 30, 2012 5:30PM
Naperville firefighters work at the scene of a house fire Sunday afternoon at 423 Douglas Ave. 12/30/12. | Linda Girardi~For Sun-Times Media
Maps
Updated: February 3, 2013 6:11AM
A home at 423 Douglas Ave. has been declared uninhabitable after a fire Sunday afternoon struck the three-story house.
No one was injured in the blaze, which started in the attic and was confined to that space, according to Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis.
The fire was first reported about 3:30 p.m., and firefighters arriving at the scene found smoking coming from windows of the newer-construction home. An adult male who was home at the time got out safely, Puknaitis said. Smoke detector alarms on all three floors were sounding at the time, he said.
“There was heavy smoke coming out of the attic window, and flames were shooting out of the roof,” said neighbor Dolores Bree.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze in about 15 minutes and had to cut a hole in the roof as they battled the flames.
“A fire like this could easily have gotten out of control — we are thankful the fire was contained to the attic and no one was injured,” Puknaitis said.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
The home was declared uninhabitable because of water coming down from the attic area, fire officials said.
“They are a beautiful family — it’s terrible for this to happen,” Bree said.
The fire originally was a general alarm call, Puknaitis said, but was elevated to a box alarm for additional personnel for cleanup. At one point, 25 firefighters were on the scene.
Police blocked off Douglas Avenue from Mill Street to North Ewing Street as firefighters worked at the scene.
