New Lenox Firefighters Extinguish Garage Fire, Rescue Pets on Somerset Court

Article Summary: The New Lenox Fire Protection District quickly contained a Friday morning garage fire on Somerset Court, preventing the blaze from spreading to the home’s main living area and safely rescuing the family’s cats.

Somerset Court Fire Key Points:

• Fire crews were dispatched at 11:46 a.m. Friday, arriving in five minutes and bringing the garage fire under control within 15 minutes.

• No injuries were reported among residents or personnel, and firefighters successfully rescued the homeowners’ cats from inside the residence.

• Preliminary investigations suggest a lithium-ion battery on an electric scooter may have sparked the blaze.

• The home sustained significant garage damage and interior smoke damage, but fire crews stopped the flames from breaching the main living quarters.

The New Lenox Fire Protection District (NLFPD) on Friday successfully extinguished a structure fire in the 800 block of Somerset Court, rescuing family pets and preventing the blaze from spreading into the residence’s main living area.

The NLFPD was dispatched to the reported structure fire at 11:46 a.m. According to district officials, the first arriving engine company reached the scene in five minutes and encountered a working fire within the home’s attached garage. Firefighters quickly transitioned to an active fire attack, deploying a single hose line to battle the flames. Crews brought the incident under control within 15 minutes.

The family and their dogs safely evacuated the home on their own prior to the fire department’s arrival. However, the homeowners’ cats remained trapped inside the structure. Firefighters successfully located and rescued the felines, reuniting them safely with their owners. No injuries to residents, pets, or fire personnel were reported during the incident.

Fire crews were able to successfully limit the blaze’s impact on the rest of the structure. While the attached garage sustained significant damage, the fire did not breach the main living area, though the interior of the home did sustain some smoke damage.

Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have originated from a lithium-ion battery on an electric scooter located within the garage. While the official cause remains under investigation, the District is using the incident as a reminder to the community regarding the potential hazards associated with charging lithium-ion batteries.

Multiple neighboring fire agencies supported the NLFPD by assisting on the scene and providing station coverage. This mutual aid ensured that emergency service remained uninterrupted for the rest of the New Lenox community during the fire.

For more information on lithium-ion battery safety and how to properly charge and store micromobility devices, the District directs residents to visit nlfire.com.