Blaze Tears Through Skokie House During Renovations: Fire Dept.

SKOKIE, IL — Fire crews battled a blaze in a house undergoing renovations in Skokie Tuesday, bringing the fire under control before it could spread to neighboring homes, authorities said. No injuries to firefighters or residents were reported.

Skokie firefighters got a call around 5 a.m. of a burning two-story, single-family home in the 5200 block of Fargo Avenue, between Niles Center Road and the Edens Expressway, according to Battalion Chief Earl Matrenec. They found the home fully engulfed in flames, which could be seen rising from the roof as smoke billowed out.

Firefighters had the scene under control by 5:30 a.m., according to Matrenec. There was substantial damage to the structure, its basement was full of water, and the cause and origin of the fire remained under investigation Tuesday.

The property's owner, Jason Donajkowski, told WLS he expected to complete renovations of the four-bedroom home within a few weeks, describing the fire is a major setback for his small business. A neighbor told the station he was "blessed" his house was untouched by the blaze.