Neighbor’s Fast Response Prevented Major Fire Damage To Home

ORLAND HILLS, IL — A neighbor saved the day in Orland Hills after seeing smoke coming from a nearby home, according to the Orland Fire Protection District.

The neighbor saw smoke coming from the home and quickly went over with a fire extinguisher, according to the OFPD. When they got there, they found a stove-top burning and helped stop the fire that could have gotten out of control and caused more damage, OFPD said.

OFPD arrived at the home located at 16964 88th Ave., just minutes later. Upon arrival, OFPD extinguished the fire completely, saying the home safe with only some minor damage.

Damage was limited to the kitchen which suffered mostly from smoke damage, OFPD said.

"The public should always call 911 right away when there is any sign of a fire. This fire could have been far worse but the fast action of the neighbor at the earliest stage of the fire with a proper fire extinguisher helped prevent the fire from spreading further," OFPD Fire Chief Michael Schofield said.

"When our firefighters arrived on the scene the neighbor’s action prevented the fire from becoming worse," Schofield said.

Schofield said that the fire district discourages civilians from entering any property that has a major fire in progress, but the kitchen fire was in its early stages, restricted to the stove top, yet to grown into a major fire.

Schofield urged homeowners to use a fire extinguisher, not water, to put out a grease, oil or stove top fires.