HAMPSHIRE, Illinois (CBS) – A resident and a police officer were hospitalized on Monday following a house fire in the far north western suburb of Hampshire.
At 4:08 p.m., the Hampshire Fire Protection District was called to a barbecue where a fire had gotten out of control on the deck of a house in the 800 block of Elm Street.
Firefighters found a large column of smoke when they went to the scene and called for reinforcements from other fire departments with a general alarm. When firefighters arrived, the entire house was ablaze — with flames visible from the back of the two-story building and extending into the attic.
A hose was stretched to the back of the house for firefighters to fight the fire.
Meanwhile, firefighters received reports that someone was trapped in the house. They went in to search the second floor, only to find five minutes later that both occupants had escaped before firefighters arrived – but they had gone their separate ways without knowing what had happened to the other.
One resident was taken to a hospital in Elgin with smoke inhalation, while the other refused medical attention.
A Hampshire police officer was also taken to a hospital in Elgin with smoke inhalation.
Firefighters had the fire under control by 4:45 p.m. The cause was the propane grill on the back deck where the flames got out of control and quickly spread up the side of the house and into the attic.
Fire damage was tentatively estimated at $100,000.
Thanks for reading CBS NEWS.
Create your free account or log in
for more features.
