Five DeKalb residents displaced after overnight duplex fire

DeKALB - Five residents are without a home after they were displaced following an overnight fire, said DeKalb city fire officials Thursday.

The fire was reported around 12:54 a.m. at a duplex in a residential neighborhood in the 300 block of West Alden Place, down the street from Tyler Elementary School, according to a news release from the DeKalb Fire Department.

When crews arrived, they saw the side of the duplex was on fire, and residents had already evacuated. Heavy smoke could also be seen coming from inside the building while crews worked to extinguish the flames on the outside, the release states.

Firefighters brought the flames under control within 20 minutes, though crews remained on the scene for two hours after assessing damage and helping residents.

No injuries to residents or fire crews were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A gas leak was also reported at the gas meter, according to the department, and Nicor was requested.

A home next door on the west side also sustained heavy damage from the heat of the duplex fire. The home’s residents were also evacuated until the home was deemed safe to re-enter.

Crews remained on the scene ventilating the building of residual natural gas and assessing damage.

The duplex sustained an estimated $75,000 worth of damage. The building was deemed uninhabitable due to fire, smoke and water damage, according to the release.

Crews from Sycamore, Maple Park, Cortland, Burlington and Malta assisted, along with DeKalb police and Nicor.