Rural Seneca house a total loss after Thanksgiving fire

A dozen people were able to evacuate safely from a rural Seneca house following a Thanksgiving morning fire.

Seneca firefighters responded at 5:55 a.m. Thursday to a fully-involved fire started at 2461 North 2409th Road originating from a charcoal grill cooking a turkey, said Seneca Deputy Fire Chief Jason Bersano.

The grill was about 10 to 15 feet from the house. Fire from the grill caught some leaves on fire that spread to the house, then into the attic space, Bersano said.

Firefighters from several different departments were on scene for roughly seven hours as some items in the home continued to smolder and rekindle. The home was a total loss and damages were estimated at $400,000, Bersano said.

Bersano said neighbors brought coffee, water and doughnuts to the firefighters.

"I thought that was pretty cool of them," he said.

Bersano listed firefighters from Wallace, Minooka, Mazon, Verona-Kinsman, Grand Ridge, Marseilles, Braidwood, Serena, Newark, Ottawa, Morris, Sheridan, Allen Township-Ransom and Wilmington responded, as well as Marseilles Ambulance.

The homeowner thanked "their wonderful neighbors, our family friends and firefighters" in a Facebook post, also stating "nothing like a disaster to prove once again how blessed we are, only objects were lost, no one was injured ... "