Crime & Safety

Hinsdale FD: Garage Fire Caused by Construction Materials' 'Spontaneous Combustion'

The Friday night fire caused $10,000 to $15,000 in damage, according to the Hinsdale Fire Department.

The following is a release from the in reaction to a garage fire that took place Friday night at 15 N. Adams St. during a silent parade to commemorate fire victims. Patch was on the scene of the fire while it was occurring and .

At approximately 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14, 2011, Southwest Central Dispatch received a call from two teen-aged boys who saw smoke coming from a garage at 15 N. Adams. This house is located in the northwest corner of Hinsdale.

At the time of the call the Annual Silent Parade had just begun and was traveling west on Chicago Avenue. The Hinsdale Fire Department responded to the reported garage fire with a truck company, engine company, an ALS ambulance and fire chief. On arrival, initial crews reported thick, black smoke pouring out of the garage, which was attached to a two-story residence. The level of response was upgraded to a still alarm, which brought additional mutual aid companies to the scene to assist Hinsdale crews. A hose line was moved into the garage where the main body of the fire was located. At the same time, the Hinsdale truck company searched the house for people and extension of the fire. It was quickly determined that the fire was confined to the garage and that nobody was home at the time. The fire was extinguished within minutes upon arrival.

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After the fire was extinguished, it was determined by fire investigators that a blue plastic tarp with construction materials and saw dust had been involved in the fire. While accidental in nature, it appears that the fire was caused by the spontaneous combustion of those materials. According to fire investigators, this has been the cause of several residential structure fires in Hinsdale.

Residents are strongly urged to follow manufacturer’s guidelines when disposing of sawdust from sanding floors. Estimated damages are between $10,000 and $15,000. Assisting Hinsdale were firefighters from the Pleasantview, Tri-State, Western Springs, LaGrange Park, Clarendon Hills, Oak Brook, and Oakbrook Terrace fire departments. There were no injuries as a result of this fire. Any further questions can be directed to the Hinsdale Fire Department at (630) 789-7060.

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