More than a year after a severe fire displaced them, eight men are moving back into a group home run by the DuPage County Health Department.

The department has operated the West Chicago Group Home, on the 100 block of Wood Street, since 2004. The goal of the program is to help the residents, who all have serious mental illnesses, learn important life skills.

“A lot of what happens here is that they live a very fulfilling life, but they learn skills that help them transition to independent living in the community,” Health Department Executive Director Maureen McHugh said.

A blaze that began in the late morning Sept. 11, 2007, nearly destroyed the home, which was built in 1867 ok.  No one was injured.

The Health Department spent about $600,000 ok to repair the damage, McHugh said.

The department held an open house Wednesday, Oct. 8, to celebrate the reopening of the home. In attendance were County Board members Linda Kurzawa, R-6th District, of Winfield, and Jim Zay, R-6th District, of Carol Stream, and West Chicago Mayor Michael Kwasman, Alderman Nanette Connelly, Fire Chief Ron Ackerman and Deputy Chief Robert Hodge.

“We’re all very excited,” said Kurzawa, who serves as president of the Board of Health, which oversees the department. “We are very thankful to all the neighbors who came out during the event, showed their support and offered the assistance during and after the fire.”

The fire began when one of the residents who was smoking on the back deck missed a receptacle with his cigarette, Ackerman said.

“The fire started out on the deck and then traveled quickly to the roof structure and the attic,” he said. “There was significant damage.”

High winds helped spread the fire quickly, and the department had to call for assistance from about a dozen area fire departments, Ackerman said. While the major flames were put out in about half an hour, it took several hours to completely extinguish the fire.

During the repairs, the residents lived at other Health Department homes or with family members. Several of them attended the open house and showed their gratitude to Health Department officials with hugs and handshakes.