03/24/2026
York Center Squad 77 responded to a structure fire in Villa Park on Monday morning. Squad 77 assisted with ventilation and established a rapid intervention team while operating at the incident.
On March 23, 2026, at approximately 2:00 am, the Villa Park Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Ultimate Cigar Lounge in the 100 block of E North Ave. Upon arrival, Villa Park Engine 82 found smoke and fire coming from the roofline in the rear of the building. The alarm was upgraded to a structure fire response.
Crews forced entry to the building and located a fire in the rear of the business just outside the restrooms. Crews deployed multiple hose lines and quickly extinguished the fire.
Fire damage was limited to the area just outside the restrooms and to the roof above. However, smoke and water damage led to the business’s closure. Another business in the same building was undamaged and remains operational. The businesses were closed at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported among firefighters.
“The limited damage to the business can be attributed to the early activation of the properly functioning and monitored fire alarm system. If the business had a properly installed sprinkler system, the fire may have been limited to just the trash can itself,”, commented Deputy Chief Frank Reposh.
The fire is believed to have started in a trash can just outside the restrooms and is suspected to have been caused by the improper disposal of smoking materials, based on a preliminary investigation by the Villa Park Fire Investigation Unit, with assistance from the DuPage County Fire Investigation Task Force.
The Villa Park Fire Department was assisted on the scene by crews from the Addison, Elmhurst, Lombard, and York Center fire departments, as well as the Villa Park Police Department.
