Cause of Streator fire deemed accidental

The cause of a fire Monday afternoon at 504 S. Bloomington St. in Streator was deemed accidental and not suspicious, the Streator Fire Department said Tuesday morning.

The home is uninhabitable because of severe smoke and water damage along with a partial collapse of the rear of the home, the fire department said.

No injuries were reported. Firefighters brought the blaze under control in about 45 minutes from arrival, clearing the scene in just more than 3 hours. The fire in the second-story house divided into apartments was described as “stubborn,” by the fire department.

A dozen Streator firefighters responded, along with an ambulance crew, four firefighters from Reading and Grand Ridge, four firefighters from Ottawa, which assisted with a tower truck, and Pontiac firefighters handled Streator’s station to handle other calls.

Some residents of the apartment building were home at the time, but all escaped without injury. Two cats were rescued during the fire.

Also assisting in the response were Vermilion Valley Regional Dispatch, Illinois American Water and the Streator Police Department.