Lightning Blamed in Two Orland Fires

The more severe of two fires, both believed to be started by lightning strikes during a morning thunderstorm, burned a home on Fairway Drive.

A pair of lightning strikes are believed to have sparked two fires Wednesday morning in Orland Park. Both strikes happened within about 10 minutes of each other during a morning thunderstorm, according to one Orland fire official. The more severe of the two fires happened at about 9 a.m. to a home in the 9000 block of Fairway Drive. Lightning appeared to have struck a corner of the roof, igniting a fire in the attic. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the attic and used tarps to protect furniture and other items inside the home, said Battalion Chief Dan Smith of the Orland Fire Protection District. At least one person was home when the fire started, Smith said. No one was injured. An earlier lightning strike hit a home on …

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Neighbors Honored for Alerting Family That House was on Fire

Eileen and Dwight Burnson were not aware that their gas line caught fire until Tom and Janice Hart called, helping them and their son Eric escape unscathed.

  Janice Hart thought she heard a Harley Davidson motorcycle idling outside their home on Royal Fox Hunt Drive. Hart thought it was strange that a motorcycle would idle for so long around 4:30 a.m. on Oct. 3. “I’m speculating that when the gas leak started before it ignited there must’ve been a build up and there must’ve been a pop, a small explosion, and she heard that,” said Tom Hart, Janice’s husband. “She popped the shade up and I knew where the meter is, and I instantly knew, because there were flames all along the side of the house.  It went from the meter out and went up. It was large. It could’ve gone forever.” The ignited gas line seen by the Harts was attached to Eileen and Dwight Burnson’s house, causing damage throughout the …

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Neighbors Alert Family to House Fire

An ignited gas line damaged a house in Orland Park Wednesday morning, but a heads-up from the neighbors spared the family members from injury.

No one was injured Wednesday morning when a gas line along an Orland Park home ignited, damaging the house. The Orland Fire Protection District was called around 4:45 a.m. Wednesday by a neighbor who said a house on Royal Fox Hunt Drive had caught fire, according to a release from the district. The neighbor also alerted residents within the house at the time, and they were able to leave before anyone was hurt. Gas flow to the house had caught fire, which led to flames moving within and alongside the house, according to Orland Fire Chief Ken Brucki. The fire itself did not take long to extinguish, though firefighters had to wait about 45 minutes for the gas to be shut off before they could safely enter the house and quell the flames, Brucki…

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Rear View

In the Rear View: Sex Chatting and BB Gun Robbery

We look back at a week of considering background checks, 75 years of the library, pets lost to fire, 4th of July prep, a financial audit and more. Catch up on last week’s news.

MONDAY Orland Park’s Library Celebrates 75 Years With Music from its Birth Year (Video) Basking in songs from the late 1930s, about 250 people came to help the Orland Park Public Library celebrate the milestone. U.S. Wrestling Legend Bobby Douglas Determined to 'Beat the Streets' At age 70, two-time former Olympian and Hall of Fame coach Bobby Douglas is preparing himself to face his toughest foe. He is waging war on gangs through the 'Beat the Streets' wrestling program. TUESDAY Police Searching For Man Who Stole Car with BB Gun A Will County man and a woman stole a car from an employee at an Orland Park restaurant late Monday night. Police are still searching for the man. Should Background Checks be Required for School Board Candidates …

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House Fire in Orland Park Happened Within Minutes of Papa Joe’s Fire

One teenager suffered minor burns during a fire Saturday afternoon that caused significant damage to an Orland Park house.

Updated, 5:15 p.m., Sunday, June 10 About a minute after Orland firefighters were sent to take on a fire on the roof of Papa Joe’s Restaurant, a house fire was also happening Saturday afternoon. The Orland Fire Protection District was called about a fire in the bedroom of a house in the 17200 block of Brookgate Drive, in the southeast corner of town, around 1:30 p.m. Fire personnel arrived at the house about four minutes later, and could see dark smoke rising from the house, according to a release from the fire district. Three residents and a dog were at home when the fire happened. Among them was a teenage girl who suffered minor burns, according to the release. The fire was under control after about 30 minutes. “Both fires happened one …

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People Safe, 1 Chinchilla Died During House Fire Thursday

The Orland Fire Protection District took down a kitchen fire with heavy smoke that caused the death of a pet, as well as smoke damage to the house.

Orland Firefighters tackled a kitchen fire that left a home with smoke damage and one less pet Thursday afternoon, though no people were hurt. The Orland Fire Protection District was called about a house fire in the 10500 block of Stone Hill Drive in the mid-afternoon, by the homeowner who found the house full of smoke, according to a release from the district. Fire crews started arriving within about five minutes and found flames in the kitchen, as well as heavy smoke and heat on the second floor, according to the release. No one was home at the time, and two dogs and a cat were removed before there were harmed, but a pet chinchilla died from smoke inhalation. Read on for more Orland Fire Protection District news. Firefighters kept the …

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Lightning Caused a Morning House Fire on Country Club Lane

Firefighters responded to a fire this morning that officials said caused "moderate damage" to an Orland Park home.

Orland firefighters squelched a blaze this morning at a home that they believe may have been struck by lightning. A call came in at 10:10 a.m. for a house fire in the 8400 block of Country Club Lane, near Wooded Path Lane and 143rd Street. A passerby noticed that the large, two-story, brick home was smoking said Orland Fire Battalion Chief Nick Cinquepalmi. "It was an attic fire," he said. "It's still under investigation but at this time, it's looking like it was a lightning strike. … There were a lot of lightning strikes around. Thankfully, this is the only call we got related to that." Orland Fire Acting Chief Raymond Kay confirmed later Sunday that lightning had caused the fire, according to a news release. No residents were home at the…

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House Fire Contained to Garage

Orland Fire Protection District officials credit alert neighbors and police for helping with a swift response.

No one was injured during a garage fire Tuesday morning that was put out before causing substantial damage to the attached house, fire officials said. Orland firefighters were called to a house near Clearview Drive and Terry Drive around 1:15 a.m. Tuesday and found a two-car garage under heavy flames, according to a release from the fire district. Fire crews were able to contain the fire to the garage. A family of seven, including three young children, were asleep at the time and were woken up by neighbors. “Fortunately, the neighbors saw this,” Acting Chief Ray Kay said in the release. “Had the neighbors not responded and had this fire gone unchecked, it would have gotten in to the living area of the house.” While a cause has not been …

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UPDATED: Fire Sends 3 to the Hospital, Burns Through Tinley Park Home Saturday Afternoon

Tinley Park firefighters braved the flames and 93-degree temperatures to put out a house fire at 8511 Hollybrook Lane. The fire destroyed much of the home and three cars.

Two people and a firefighter were sent to the hospital after fire destroyed a home in the Brookside Glen neighborhood Saturday afternoon on Hollybrook Lane. Investigators were still looking into the cause of the fire, which was reported as starting in the garage, said Tinley Park Fire Chief Ken Dunn. The fire chief did not know the extent of the injuries to the three people sent to area hospitals and would not release their names. The fire started around 2 p.m., burning through about half of the home, the garage and three cars--a BMW, Corvette and Audi--at 8511 Hollybrook Lane. There also was considerable heat and smoke damage to the entire house, Dunn said. Thick, black smoke poured into the sky and could be seen for miles. Witnesses said…

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No One Injured in Kitchen Fire

The fire was contained to the kitchen area of an Orland Park home, but smoke damage was throughout.

No one was injured during a fire that started in the kitchen of an Orland Park home Monday afternoon. Neighbors living near the house in the 150oo block of Hale Drive saw black smoke coming out of the home and called 911 around 2:57 p.m., Orland Fire Protection District Chief Bill Krizik said at the scene. The fire was contained to the kitchen area, though due to smoke damage throughout the home, the family will be displaced, Krizik said. Fire fighters had the flames under control in about 10 minutes. Crews were still on scene at 3:45 p.m. and the fire’s exact cause was still being investigated, Krizik said.

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