Early Morning Fire Destroys Glen Ellyn Home

From Glen Ellyn Patch: A fire that broke out around 4:30 a.m. ravaged a family's home in the 500 block of Dawes Avenue.  

Erin Micklo and her family were inside sleeping when the fire started. When the smoke detectors woke Micklo and her husband, Kevin, they rushed to get their 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son who were also sleeping. 

The entire family, including the dog, made it out of the home without injury but their home sustained so much damage that it will likely be torn down because of the blaze, according to Micklo. 

"We're just trying to figure out what to do next," said Micklo.

It's unclear what triggered the blaze but neighbor Debbie MacKerell said the fire was quick to take the home.  

"It went so fast," said MacKerell.

Ten minutes was all it took, according to neighbor Helen Kulpa. Everything was fine when Kulpa's husband returned from an early morning run around 4:20 a.m. He walked to the end of the driveway to recycle a water bottle and everything was fine. Just ten minutes later, Kulpa's husband witnessed the home in flames.

After getting a phone call from his daughter, Tom Cusack rushed to the burning home where his grandchildren live. 

"It's not a very good feeling to get awaken out of a dead sleep to, 'dad our house is burning down,'" said Cusack of Naperville. 

According to Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Company spokesperson Craig Eldridge, numerous units from neighboring towns were called to assist in battling the blaze, including the .

The fire crippled the deck on the back of the home and neighbors said they heard propane tanks burst that were located on the deck near the grill. The back of the home was ripped open by the fire and looks to have sustained the most damage. A Honda mini-van was inside the garage during the fire and due to structural damage it may not be able to be retrieved.

Stay tuned to Patch for more details.