ROCHELLE — A house fire possibly caused by a natural gas leak was reported Sunday evening in the 800 block of Woolf Court in Rochelle. The Rochelle Fire Department says the homeowner and a dog inside escaped without injury. Rochelle firefighters responded around 6:36 p.m. and remained on scene for about two hours. Authorities say a smoke detector alerted the homeowner. Fire crews said the damage was mainly contained to the crawl space and extended into the first floor near the furnace and water heater area, though smoke and water damage affected much of the first floor. Firefighters cut into the floor to access the fire, leaving the home uninhabitable.
The homeowner reportedly made his own arrangements for accommodations. Damage is estimated at less than $50,000. The cause remains under investigation, though officials believe it may be linked to a natural gas line ignited by a pilot light. Mutual-aid agencies included Ogle-Lee Fire, Steward Fire, Ashton Fire and EMS, and Lynn-Scott-Rock Fire. No firefighter injuries were reported.
