Towed Car Catches Fire At Clarendon Hills Police Station

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – A towed car caught fire last weekend at the Clarendon Hills police station, causing damage, a village official said.

About 6 a.m. Saturday, officers were called to Route 83 and 55th Street for an unoccupied, broken-down Dodge Durango with heavy front-end damage, said Paul Dalen, the village's acting manager, in an email Friday.

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At first, the owner complained the car had been stolen, but then later recanted, saying it was taken without permission, Dalen said.

Dalen said the police department had the car towed because of its stolen status and placed it at the station's sally port, which is a secure, controlled entryway.

Late Saturday afternoon, the car caught fire, probably because of the damaged front end, Dalen said. The fire department put it out.

The sally port sustained smoke and soot damage, Dalen said. No one was injured.

Patch has filed a public records request for the police and fire reports.