Officials Believe Bathroom Fire Was 'Accidental': Palatine FD

PALATINE, IL — A Saturday morning house fire that started in a bathroom on the main floor is believed to have been "accidental," according to the Palatine Fire Department. No residents were home at the time of the fire.

Officials said Monday damage estimates are still not available. No firefighters or civilians were injured in the fire fought by 22 firefighters staffing four engines, one ladder truck, one rescue squad, and three ambulances that responded to the scene along with four command officers.

Firefighters responded to the house fire at around 11:52 a.m. Saturday, after a passerby saw smoke from the roofline and called 911. Officials said the first Palatine Fire Department unit arrived three minutes after the initial alarm and reported smoke coming from the house's roof. The alarm was then upgraded to a structure fire response.

Firefighters quickly deployed a hose line through the front door of the house and located the fire in a bathroom on the main floor. Additional crews initiated a primary search, utilizing thermal imaging cameras to search for victims. No one was home at the time of the fire, and all residents were later accounted for. When the fire had been extinguished, crews performed salvage and overhaul to protect property and search for fire extension. The fire was declared under control at 2:08 p.m.

During the incident, a Long Grove ambulance stood by at Palatine Fire Station 82 to cover any additional calls. Palatine Police officers assisted at the scene with traffic and crowd control.

The Palatine Fire Department reminds everyone to have working smoke detectors in their homes, whether a single-family dwelling, an apartment, or a condo. For more information on fire safety, visit https://www.palatine.il.us/431...