Crews from multiple area departments brought a house fire under control in about 20 minutes while also battling excessive heat Tuesday afternoon in Des Plaines. After the blaze at 1817 Lee St., fire officials pointed to an “already problematic” window air conditioner unit plugged into an extension cord as the cause of the fire. The Des Plaines Fire Department responded to the single-family home just south of Oakton Street at 3:14 p.m. According to the fire department, crews arrived to find heavy smoke coming out of the home. The only occupant escaped unharmed prior to firefighters breaking windows and sawing through the roof to create ventilation. Approximately 25 firefighters were at the scene working in shifts due to the 95-degree heat. They were able to hose down the home and gain control of the fire by approximately 3:32 p.m.