Chief: Washington Park fire started when stolen car was torched in garage

Firefighters said a fire early Wednesday in Washington Park appears to have started after a stolen car was driven into an open garage and torched.

The blaze started at about 1:30 a.m. in the back yard of a home in the 4600 block of Hallows Avenue.

The fire spread to the home. Damage to the home was limited to some melted siding.

Washington Park Fire Chief Charles Schreiber said, “The male occupant inside heard a loud noise and he ran outside, and saw that the garage was on fire.”

Schreiber said the garage, in the rear of the home, had been open. He said someone apparently drove the vehicle, believed to be a Dodge Nitro, into the structure and set it on fire to cover up evidence.

“The fire spread to the home and damaged it and the house next to it,” Schreiber said.

“The gentlemen who was inside of the home was doing repairs and was there for security purposes,” Schreiber said.

It took about 30 minutes to put the fire out, he said.

There were no injuries reported.

Washington Park police asked that anyone with information call them at 874-0115.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 6:53 AM with the headline "Chief: Washington Park fire started when stolen car was torched in garage."