Chesterton, IN – Early this morning, a vacant house at Porter Beach in Chesterton, Indiana, was completely destroyed by fire, as reported by the Porter Fire Department. The property, situated behind the Johnson Inn, had been unoccupied for some time, according to Fire Chief Jay Craig. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported.
The blaze, which engulfed the small house at the property’s southern edge, was responded to at 1:08 a.m. by the Porter Fire Department, with additional support from Chesterton, Burns Harbor, and Portage Fire Departments under mutual aid agreements. Fire Chief Craig described the scene as having “heavy fire in the center of the home that had vented itself through the roof,” exacerbated by strong north winds.
Indiana Dunes National Park crew was mobilized to patrol the area for potential brush fires caused by airborne embers. Concerns were also raised about the fire spreading to neighboring homes and a wooden fence directly behind the house, which did catch fire.
Firefighters managed to contain the blaze using three attack lines and a significant volume of water from a nearby hydrant. It took approximately 40 minutes to control the fire, with Craig noting the intensity and duration of the effort. Following the initial containment, firefighters conducted an extensive overhaul as the house collapsed, creating numerous hotspots.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, as stated by Chief Craig.
