Spontaneous Combustion Causes Fire That Engulfs Batavia Home
Fire officials say spontaneous combustion of a mix of construction solvents in a dumpster caused a fire Monday that ultimately engulfed a Batavia home.
According to a city of Batavia news release, the Batavia Fire Department responded at around 3:30 a.m. to a fire at 38W365 Monteray Drive.
The incident was quickly upgraded by Tricom to a general alarm for the house on fire.
The department encountered a heavy fire in the dumpster that had spread to the side and roof of the house.
An interior attack on the fire was made as well as exterior. The difficulties of managing the blaze meant an upgrade to a box alarm, that was upgraded again to a second box for additional help.
Interior crews had to retreat because of collapse of a ceiling. A coordinated exterior attack on the fire was able to gain control and move back inside.
All crews did a great job of stopping the fire spread and it was brought under control. The fire has rendered the home uninhabitable with advance through to the roof. No damage cost estimate is yet available.
Occupants were able to escape before advance of the fire due to smoke alarm detection.
FIRE REPORT: 38W365 MONTEREY DRIVE, BATAVIA
- Time of Dispatch: 03:40 – General Alarm
- 1st Unit on scene: 03:36
- Upgrade to Box Alarm: 04:10
- Upgrade to 2nd Alarm: 04:23
- Box struck out: 05:29
- Last Unit Cleared: 09:35
Units on scene:
- Chiefs – 8
- Engines – 6
- Tenders – 6
- Trucks – 4
- Squads – 1
- Medics – 3
- Safety Officer – 1
- Rapid Intervention Team – 1
- Batavia ESDA
- Red Cross
- NICOR
- Com-Ed
Units Change of Quarters:
- Fermi Engine
- St. Charles Medic
The following departments provided assistance:
- Big Rock
- Carol Stream
- Elburn
- Fermi Lab
- Geneva
- Kaneville
- Montgomery
- Naperville
- North Aurora
- Oswego
- South Elgin
- St. Charles
- Sugar Grove
- Warrenville
- West Chicago
- Wheaton
Battalion Chief:
- John Lucas
