The DeKalb Fire Department has determined a malfunctioning electrical heating unit was the cause for the fire that occurred at Old Orchard Place Townhouses, 1001 W. Lincoln Highway, on Friday night.

The malfunctioning heating unit was located above apartment No. 9 and the fire was confirmed to be accidental, said a DeKalb Fire Department press release. The fire broke out at 10:16 p.m. Friday and it took firefighters 45 minutes to control the blaze, containing it to four apartments, the release said.

A total of 47 firefighters were used at the scene, the release said, with mutual aid received from Sycamore, Cortland, Watermann, Hinckley, Genoa-Kingston, Malta and Maple Park. No injuries were reported to residents or firefighters, the release said. An estimated $250,000 worth of damage was caused to the building, according to the release.

According to an NIU Public Affairs press release, about two dozen students were displaced by the fire. Eight students have taken the university up on its offer to provide temporary housing in the Stevenson Towers, the release said. “In these circumstances, we will put those students up for about a week at no charge while they get their lives back in order,” said Michael Stang, executive director of Housing and Dining. “After that, if they would like to remain with us we will ask them to sign contracts.”

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