La Salle resident safe after garage fire, but vehicles a total loss

A La Salle homeowner lost a number of valuable items in his garage to a Monday afternoon fire.

The homeowner is safe, but items in his garage were a total loss.

“My Mustang is gone, my bike is gone, my boat is gone, my antique tools are gone,” Randy Moreno said holding his dog and shaking his head.

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La Salle firefighter Brian Zeller (left) throws on his bunker gear to fight a fire Monday, July 22, 2024, as neighbors remove propane tanks as flames engulf a garage in the 800 block of Lafayette Street in La Salle. The fire began just before 1 p.m. (Scott Anderson)

The garage fire broke out during the noon hour Monday in the 800 block of Lafayette Street in La Salle, drawing firefighters from at least two companies, though more emergency vehicles were arriving shortly before 1 p.m.

Predominantly white smoke was seen between Eighth and Ninth streets and Lafayette and Bucklin streets in La Salle. Some sounds of minor explosions were reported by neighbors. The fire appears to have damaged siding and melted some of the vinyl on the east side of the two-story house.

La Salle, Utica and Peru firefighters were on scene.

The fire was quickly knocked down and under control within 20 minutes, said Dale Tieman, assistant fire chief. Crews continued with overhaul and dousing hot spots, he said. The Illinois State Fire Marshal, La Salle Fire Department and La Salle Police Department will determine the fire’s cause.