A person fled the scene after a suspicious fire that damaged a house in Fox River Grove Tuesday, which was across the street from another house that was completely destroyed by a fire in February.
The Fox River Grove Fire Protection District and Fox River Grove Police Department responded around 6:25 p.m. Tuesday to the 100 block of Grove Avenue in Fox River Grove for a report of a structure fire.
Fox River Grove Fire Protection District Chief Robert Kreher said fire crews arrived and found smoke showing from the eaves of a single-story, single-family residence.
Firefighters pulled a hose line, forced entry to the home and began extinguishing the fire.
The fire was brought under control within 15 minutes, Kreher said.
No firefighters were injured and no occupants were at the scene.
Kreher said one person who was there fled the scene on foot and was believed to have been located by the police.
The Cary, Barrington-Countryside and Algonquin fire districts assisted at the scene.
The home was deemed uninhabitable due to the “moderate damage” the fire caused, Kreher said.
Kreher said the fire was suspicious in nature and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and Fox River Grove Police Department were called to investigate.
The person who was living there was the same person who was also occupying another house, kiddie corner to the house on the same block in the 100 block of Grove Avenue, in February.
That other house caught on fire on February 20 and the residents called 911 and escaped the home safely prior to the fire department arriving, Fox River Grove Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Eldee Jackson said at the time.
Jackson said fire crews arrived and found heavy smoke and flames coming from all sides of a single-family, two-story house.
Firefighters initiated a defensive attack on the fire by pulling hose lines and attempting to extinguish the fire from the outside.
Jackson said fire crews encountered low-pressure issues with the fire hydrants on the street, hampering the extinguishment of the blaze.
Approximately 13-14 fire departments responded to the scene to assist, Jackson said.
No injuries were reported to any occupants of the home or responding firefighters. The family was displaced and the home was a total loss, Jackson said.
Both fires remain under investigation by the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and the Fox River Grove Police Department. No charges have been announced.