Stubborn Braidwood fire fueled by wind

Strong winds this morning fueled a house fire on North Office Street in Braidwood that quickly spread to two nearby structures.

Braidwood Fire Protection District responded to the 100 block of north Office Street to find a deck on the exterior of the home engulfed in flames. Within seconds the blaze, spread into the prefabricated home and spread inside. The home owner escaped in time.

"I was sitting in my kitchen drinking coffee when all of a sudden there were flames out my window," commented Doug Engel who lived next door. "By the time I dialed 9-1-1 and stepped outside the fire was too intense for me to put out. I backed away and watched it get out of control." the neighbor said.

The fire's heat was so intense it melted the siding on Engel's house located a driveway's width away.

The extra-alarm fire brought trucks and fire investigators in from departments as far away as Oswego.

For a complete details and more photos read the March 31 Braidwood Journal.