Abandoned House Destroyed by Fire Believed to Be Arson

An early morning fire that destroyed an abadoned house on Ridge Road is being called an arson by Plainfield Deputy Fire Chief John Stratton.

firefighters arrived on the scene at about 5:40 a.m. Saturday to find the two-story farmhouse fully engulfed, Stratton said.

Given how far the blaze had progressed by the time they arrived -- and that the building was surrounded by a chain link fence -- a decision was made to let the fire go so that firefighters could protect several barn buildings that surrounded it, he said. The house collapsed into the basement, where it continued to burn and smolder on Saturday afternoon.

Although ComEd had to cut the power line going to the house, located at 8951 S. Ridge Road, the house had no electric or gas service, Stratton said. It is not yet known who owns the property. 

Although he did not elaborate on how or where the fire started, Stratton said investigators believe it was deliberately set. He asked that anyone with information about the fire or the house's owners call the fire department at 815-436-5335 or the at 815-436-2341.