Alert neighbor reports fire in neighbor’s garage saving home

An alert neighbor called 911 to report smoke and fire outside a neighbor’s home on Jillian Road in Orland Park on Friday (June 15, 2018) evening.

The neighbor called 911 at 6 pm reporting seeing smoke and a small fire outside the neighbor’s house. The Orland Fire Protection District dispatched fire trucks and crews and noted smoke coming from the property near the garage. Firefighters arrived in time as the fire appeared to be spreading to the home structure.

The fire was confined to the attached garage and it was extinguished within 15 minutes. Light smoke damage was noted inside the home.

No injuries were involved. The family was not home at the time of the fire.

Neighbor alerts 911 about neighbor's garage fire, saving home. Photo courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection District — Neighbor alerts 911 about neighbor’s garage fire, saving home. Photo courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection District

Orland Fire Protection District Fire Chief Michael Schofield applauded the neighbor saying that the fire could have caused far more damage to the property.

“The public is indebted to the neighbor who called 911 to report the fire. The fire could easily have spread from the garage area to the home causing far more serious damage and even destroying it,” Schofield said. “We need to not only be observant about safety in our own homes but we need to also be vigilant for the safety of our neighbor’s too. It made a difference in this case.”

The fire originated outside the garage consuming debris from a floor refinishing project. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Orland Fire was assisted on scene by Tinley Park and Frankfort Fire with several other area fire departments covering Orland Fire stations.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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