A family safely evacuated their rural Triumph home on Saturday, but fire caused an estimated $150,000 damage to their residence in Troy Grove Township.

Mendota Fire Chief Dennis Rutishauser said Sunday that Mendota and Troy Grove firefighters were dispatched at 10 p.m. Saturday to a residence in the 3900 block of E 550th Road, west of Triumph, after flames were reported coming from the chimney.

The first unit on scene reported smoke coming from the attic of the single-family dwelling and an active fire in the chimney. MABAS Box Alarm was requested.

Assisting agencies included Earlville, La Salle, Peru, Utica, Sublette and Compton. The last units cleared the scene at 2:20 a.m. Sunday.

Rutishauser said the cause of the fire still is under investigation, but the fire started in the basement fireplace.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries.

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An aerial view of firefighters working the scene of a structure fire in the 3900 block of East 550th Road on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 in Mendota. The fire started in the chimney area. Fire departments from Troy Grove, Utica, La Salle, Peru, Mendota, and others across the region were dispatched shortly after 10p.m. (Scott Anderson)