At approximately 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 29, 2021 the Wheaton Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire in the 200 block of South Prospect. Upon arrival, fire crews identified a fire in the kitchen area of a single-family home with fire extending to the second floor. The fire was brought under control within minutes. The sole occupant of the home safely escaped, but he was transported to an area hospital as a precaution for smoke exposure.
The Wheaton Fire Department conducted a fire investigation, and the cause of the fire is deemed accidental. The cause appears to have been related to unattended cooking activities in the kitchen. Damage estimates are unavailable at this time. The City of Wheaton Building Department was called to the scene. The Wheaton Fire Department was also assisted on the scene by the police department and several fire departments from neighboring communities. The building was deemed uninhabitable and turned back over to the property owner after the fire.