A resident was left homeless after a fire broke out in the attic of his home in Marengo and left it uninhabitable with heavy damage Friday morning, fire officials said.
The Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts was dispatched around 9:10 p.m. Friday to the 1100 block of North Hale Street in Marengo for a report of smoke inside a building.
Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said firefighters arrived and found light smoke showing from a single-story residence.
The incident was upgraded to a Working Fire response to bring additional fire crews to the scene.
Initial responding firefighters entered the home and encountered moderate smoke conditions throughout the residence, Vucha said.
Firefighters continued their investigation and located an active fire within the attic space.
Vucha said crews quickly extinguished the bulk of the fire but additional hidden fire and hot spots remained within the attic.
It required firefighters to open portions of the ceiling to complete extinguishment.
The fire was declared under control within approximately 25 minutes.
The home sustained heavy damage to the attic, along with smoke and water damage throughout the residence, Vucha said.
The house has been deemed uninhabitable until repairs can be completed.
Vucha said the home’s sole resident, an adult male who was inside when the fire started, was able to safely evacuate and was not injured.
He is receiving temporary lodging and assistance from friends.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts.