JOLIET, Ill. (STMW)– A firefighter was injured battling a house fire that two teens and a dog escaped from Tuesday in southwest suburban Joliet.

Battalion Chief Robert DiLorenzo said the blaze was reported at 12:48 p.m. in a two-story house in the 1700 block of Sierra Highland Court.

“We arrived to find flames coming from the top of the second floor. Two teenagers were home and were able to get out with the assistance of a neighbor,” DiLorenzo said. “Firefighters were able to get the family dog out of the residence as well.”

But one firefighter reportedly fell from the attic to the great room on the first floor, breaking his ankle.

The fire appears to have started accidentally, Capt. Dave Hausmann said.

“The residents used an outdoor fire pit last night and put the embers into a plastic garbage can that was pushed up against the house,” the arson investigator said. “It looks like the embers ignited the cans and the fire went up the vinyl siding to the exterior of the attic.”

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