Elgin fire officials are crediting quick action by a resident to helping limit damage of a Tuesday basement fire in the 500 block of Arlington Avenue.

The general area of the Tuesday basement fire. (CREDIT: Google Maps)

According to a report by the Elgin Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched to smoke in a home at 4:35 pm. Tuesday (Sept. 12, 2017) after the owner had come home and opened her front door to find the house filling with black smoke.

The first units arrived on the scene within three minutes of dispatch and determined the fire was in the basement of the home. Fire crews quickly extinguished the fire, and it did not spread past the basement.

One person was checked for smoke inhalation but was not transported to the hospital.

The estimated fire loss was approximately 50,000.00 due to smoke damage to the home. The fire is still under investigation.

Elgin Fire Chief Dave Schmidt commended the “rapid thinking of the resident to call 911, which prevented this fire from becoming much worse.”

SOURCE: Elgin Fire Department news release