Winnetka Basement Fire Damages Home

WINNETKA, IL — No one was injured when a single family home caught fire in Winnetka Friday morning. A 911 call reported the fire around 11:30 a.m. in the 400 block of Berkeley Avenue, according to Fire Chief Alan Berkowsky.

The blaze in the basement of a house was extinguished by crews from the Winnetka Fire Department within about 10 minutes of their arrival, he said.

Berkowsky said crews at the scene found a fire burning in the laundry room and producing heavy smoke. By the time firefighters had arrived, dispatchers had already instructed the two people inside the home to leave.

Crews managed to contain the fire to a utility room in the basement, using fans and ventilation to reduce smoke damage to the home's upper levels, he said.

The fire was upgraded and units were called in from Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Northbrook, Northfield and Wilmette. An Evanston engine stood by in case other calls came in from Winnetka during the fire.

Initial estimates put the damage to the home at about $75,000, said the chief.

Fire investigators are continuing to look into what caused the blaze and where it started.

_{Top photo via Village of Winnetka}