House fires are often the result of an electrical problem, a kitchen accident or a misplaced space heater. But the flames that engulfed a South Elgin home on Friday came from an unexpected culprit: a waterbed.
Was the motion in the ocean just too hot for even the H2O to douse?
According to South Elgin Fire Chief Joe Cluchey, the waterbed's heater is to blame. It was left on after the bed had been disassembled Friday afternoon.
Witnesses reported seeing a fire at the back of the single-family, ranch-style house on Spring Ave.
The fire chief said it is likely the fire was burning for quite some time inside the home before it was visible to passersby.
Emergency crews from six different towns responded to the call. It took firefighters 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze.
Damages are estimated to total over $180,000, but fortunately no one was injured.
Local
This homeowner has definitely been through hell and high water.
Matt Bartosik is a Chicago native and a social media sovereign.
