Above / Naperville Fire Department answers 911 call that reports structure fire on 1600 Block of Mulligan Drive, south of W. Diehl Road. No firefighter injuries reported. (PN file photos are used to help flag reports about Naperville Fire Department and Police Department responses to emergency calls, always reminding readers that keeping the community safe is everyone’s responsibility. Thanks for calling 911 when necessary. Be alert. Stay safe.)
At 01:44AM on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2023, Naperville’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) received an activated fire alarm for the occupancy at the 1600 block of Mulligan Dr. PSAP dispatched a single engine to the activated fire alarm. After initial dispatch, PSAP was contacted by a resident of the occupancy, stating there was a vehicle on fire in an attached garage and a second vehicle on fire in the driveway.
The alarm was immediately upgraded to a general alarm. A general alarm assignment consists of three engines, two ladder trucks, one heavy rescue squad, two medic units, and two battalion commanders.
Engine 4 arrived on the scene at 01:51AM, where they found a two-story, wood-framed, multi-family residential structure with heavy fire showing from the front of the structure. A 360-degree survey of the occupancy was completed by first arriving companies, with fire found in exposure units on both sides of the original fire unit.
Fire companies began an aggressive attack on the exterior fire, darkening down the exposure units and confining the fire to the unit of origin. Companies on the scene utilized a coordinated attack to bring the fire under control and begin overhaul and salvage operations within 30 minutes of arrival. Crews on the scene confirmed that four occupants had evacuated the house before NFD arrival. Primary and secondary searches were conducted, and no additional occupants were found. The first exposure unit was found to be vacant, and fire companies assisted in evacuating two adults and two children from the second exposure unit. Fire crews remained on the scene for an additional two hours extinguishing hidden areas of fire. Residents from the occupancy stated they were alerted to the fire by the working fire alarm and smoke detectors and called Naperville PSAP to advise them of the fire.
The Naperville Fire Department was assisted on the scene by the Naperville Police Department. The Naperville Transportation, Engineering and Development team, NICOR, the Naperville Electric Department, and the American Red Cross. The Wheaton Fire Protection District and the Aurora Fire Department provided Station Coverage.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. One occupant was treated and released on scene, and there were no injuries to any firefighters. The original fire unit was deemed uninhabitable, and the two exposure units were both able to be reoccupied.
Report submitted by Phil Giannattasio CFO, Deputy Chief | Naperville Fire Department.
