Home Of On-Duty Firefighter Catches Fire: Arlington Heights FD

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL – The home of a member of the Arlington Heights Fire Department caught on fire Thursday morning while he was on duty. The firefighter's family, who were making breakfast when the fire broke out, were able to safely exit the residence unharmed.

A number of area fire departments assisted Arlington Heights in successfully putting out the blaze.

According to officials, members of the Arlington Heights Police Department were first on scene of the structure fire at around 7 a.m. in the 200 block of North Pine Avenue. Officers found heavy smoke emerging from the rear of the building.

After confirming all occupants of the home had exited the residence safely, and that interior conditions allowed for visibility, a police officer entered the structure in an attempt to put out the fire. The officer, using a portable fire extinguisher, was unsuccessful.

Arlington Heights firefighters, who arrived at the scene within three minutes of dispatch, upgraded the response for a working fire in the kitchen. Officials said the crews encountered heavy interior smoke conditions and deployed a hose line to the kitchen.

Suppression efforts began while additional crews conducted a "thorough search" of the premises, confirming no occupants remained inside. The fire was contained to the kitchen area and did not extend beyond a small butler pantry, according to AHFD.

The home's occupants said the blaze started when a toaster oven caught fire during breakfast preparation. A family member initially attempted to extinguish the flames, but when this effort was unsuccessful, the residents evacuated the home and called 911.

Christopher L. Rymut, AHFD division chief (community risk reduction), tells Patch the firefighter on duty did respond to the fire at his home, but was not assigned to firefighting operations. He was relieved to attend to his family.

AHFD received assistance at the scene from companies of the Mt. Prospect Fire Department and Prospect Heights Fire District. Station coverage was provided by the Schaumburg, Wheeling, and Glenview Fire Departments.

The Arlington Heights Fire and Police Fire Investigation Team is investigating the cause of the fire.