Cat rescued, but no one hurt after fire in second-floor bedroom of home in River Hills

RIVER HILLS -- Officials with the North Shore Fire Department on Wednesday evening, December 21st were called out to a fire at a home in River Hills, on Calumet Road near Pheasant Lane.

It happened around 4:30 p.m.

No one was hurt. One cat was rescued from the home.

Fire officials said a man in his 20s was asleep in the home when he heard a smoke alarm. He ended up finding fire in a second-floor bedroom.

The man's father tried to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher, but the smoke became too heavy, and they had to evacuate.

North Shore Fire officials had to bring in water because there were no fire hydrants in the area.

There was excessive smoke damage to the home's second floor, and fire damage in that one bedroom.

The preliminary damage estimate to the structure and contents is $25,000.

An investigation in partnership with the River Hills Police Department revealed that the probable cause of the fire was the unsafe disposal of smoking materials. It appears that smoking materials were disposed into a plastic garbage can in the upstairs bedroom, likely sparking the fire. The community is reminded that smoking material should always be completely extinguished and placed into a metal container, or other approved smoking disposal equipment that is placed outside and away from any structures.