Police Questioning Man In Oak Lawn House Explosion
OAKLAWN, Ill. (CBS) -- An Oak Lawn man is being questioned by police following an arson fire and explosion this morning that destroyed a home.
Police arrived on the 8900 block of south 55th court to find a house on fire and demolished in an explosion and the homeowner standing outside.
"This was a fire and explosion resulting from a domestic. It's under police and fire investigation right now. We got on the scene we were met with heavy fire load. Companies went defensive right away and it went to a box alarm level. Total loss, there's nothing left here," said Oak Lawn Battalion Chief John Hojek.
The chief said police were there earlier on a domestic call and the other occupants of the home were gone when the explosion occurred. When he arrived, he said the police had the homeowner in custody on the driveway next door.
The side walls of what was small, one-story brick house were blown out. The front brick wall is leaning forward and the roof is gone.
The Christmas decorations on the lawn tell of perhaps happier times with a snowman, Rudolph and a couple reindeer planted in the snow in front of the destroyed house.