Welding in garage likely caused blaze
By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
A fire destroyed a home at 208 Pine St. before 8:30 p.m. Friday.
Jose Gomez, 46, and his three daughters were home at the time of the fire and escaped unharmed. Gomez’s wife, Ana Gomez, 44, was not at home.
Assistant Fire Chief Tim O’Neill said Gomez was in the garage welding a vehicle when the fire broke out. Two children were outside and one was inside at the time the fire started. O’Neill said the welding is the probable cause of the fire.
O’Neill said the fire department received a call for the fire at 8:24 p.m. and the fire was under control by 8:40 p.m. The fire was extinguished two hours after that.
O’Neill said the department experienced no complications fighting the fire. O’Neill said having a great water supply provided by the water tower at Yadon Park helped. He said two Darien fire chiefs arrived on the scene and offered assistance, but the Delavan Fire Department was the only department to actually fight the fire.
The house was a total loss, O’Neill said. He said he believes the house was beyond saving before the fire department arrived on the scene. The fire caused minor cosmetic damage including melted siding on the houses on either side of the Gomez house.
“We were very fortunate we were able to save the two neighboring residences from major damage,” O’Neill said.
O’Neill said the Gomez family is staying with relatives.
