House Destroyed: Elderly Woman, Son Escape Crest Hill Fire

CREST HILL — The Lockport Township Fire Protection District extinguished an overnight fire in the 300 block of Birkey Avnene and the two relatives inside the house made it out safely.

Deputy Fire Chief Frank Blaskey said the house fire was reported around 12:15 a.m. Monday in the 300 block of Birkey Ave in Crest Hill.

Blaskey said the following events happened:

• Fire companies found a small one-story, single-family home with smoke coming from the eaves. A fire was discovered in the attached garage that had partially extended into the house.
• The elderly woman had noticed a smell of smoke and alerted her son who assisted her safely out of the residence, in her wheelchair, prior to the fire department's arrival.
• Companies brought the fire under control in approximately 20 minutes but due to the fire, smoke, and heat damage, the home was left uninhabitable.
• No injuries were reported, and the Red Cross was notified to assist the displaced residents.
• The cause of the structure fire is currently under investigation by Lockport, who were assisted at the scene by investigators from Lemont and Plainfield.