No Injuries Reported in Vacant House Fire on Vine

Emergency responders from 19 fire protection districts converged on 8S041 Vine St. mid afternoon in response to a 2-11 fire.

Fire Chief Michelle Gibson, of the Tri-state Fire Protection District, said the cause is still unknown but she believes the fire began in the attic of the house. The fire was first reported to Tri-state at 3:22 p.m.

“We went in to attempt a search, but the fire was too big so we backed out and kept to the exterior,” Gibson said. “The fire was all above us and it’s an old house.”

She said the house is currently vacant, so there were no residents to rescue and no other individuals were found inside or near the scene. No firefighters were injured while putting out the flames.

All side streets that connect Vine Street to Madison Street were closed, keeping several residents from both leaving and entering their property. Only one other house was reportedly affected by the fire.

“We were able to pull two dogs and a cat from the house next door,” Gibson said. “It did not catch on fire, but it was filling up with smoke.”

Neighbors said the house that caught on fire was foreclosed on four years ago and has been empty since. They said squatters were found and removed about two years ago, but no other unusual activity has been recently noticed.

A surveyor, however, was seen and approached by a few neighbors approximately two weeks ago. The inspector said he was working on behalf of the home’s new owner.

Aside from the occasional visit by real estate salesmen, neighbors say they have not seen anyone go inside the house in years.

DuPage County officials were on the scene and said it might be days before a cause could be determined.