(Updated 3:15 p.m.) An Elm Grove home that burned down overnight was scheduled for a closing Monday, fire officials said.
"The home did have an accepted offer, with the sale scheduled for closing on today's date," Elm Grove Police Chief James Gage said in an news release.
"All evidence at the scene, along with all information gained through interviews of the homeowners, their agents, and the prospective buyers, and their agents, indicates that the home was vacant and that no one was in the residence," Gage said.
Elm Grove fire officials got a call at 2:52 a.m. about the blaze at 15105 Westover Rd. and called for mutual aid, getting response from nine area fire departments,
The damage was estimated at $407,300, which was the assessed value of the home at 15105 Westover Rd.; the home with the lot was assessed at $548,000, according to Waukesha County records.
Home owner Laura Roberts, reached Monday morning in Palo Alto, Ca. where she moved, said she was quickly packing to catch a flight to Wisconsin and couldn't talk.
Gage said there was no evidence of foul play but the origin and cause were under investigation. It was also not known if the house had working smoke detectors or a fire alarm system. The State of Wisconsin Fire Marshal is helping review the blaze.
No one was injured. Assisting were fire departments from the cities of Brookfield, Wauwatosa, New Berlin and Muskego/Tess Corners; the villages of Butler, Menomonee Falls and Lannon and the towns of Brookfield and Waukesha. The Brookfield city police department also assisted.
According to a Fox6now.com report, water was an issue, given the village's lack of municipal water and fire hydrants. The village has water tanker trucks but had to wait about 10 minutes to get additional water from mutual aid departments, according to Fox6now.com.
