Power scooter sparks Skokie fire, displacing five

An electric power scooter malfunctioned Wednesday and caused a fire that left five people displaced in north suburban Skokie.

Firefighters responded about 11 a.m. to the home in the 8100 block of Lincoln Avenue and found smoke and flames coming from the front of the house, according to a statement from the village of Skokie.

Everyone inside had already exited safely, the statement said.

The fire left the home uninhabitable, and village officials are helping the five people who lived there find a place to stay, the statement said. Animal control officials are also taking care of one resident’s cat, which was found inside the structure.

Authorities believe the fire started by accident when an electric power scooter malfunctioned while on the building’s front porch.

Skokie police and fire officials continue to investigate.