McHenry County Sheriff’s deputies, and firefighters and paramedics from Nunda Rural Fire Protection District, McHenry Township Fire Protection District, and Crystal Lake Fire Department responded about 3:20 p.m. Friday, March 29, 2024, 2022 to a report of a house fire in the block of 3700 Riverside Drive in unincorporated Crystal Lake.
Nunda Rural Fire Engine 1341’s crew on arrival reported smoke showing from a two-story single-family home with hoarder conditions outside. At the rear of the home, large flames were showing from a corner bedroom window in the northwest corner of the home.
No fire hydrants exist in the neighborhood, so fire command immediately established a tender (water tanker) operation with a portable water tank set up at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Tulip Street, just northwest of the fire scene.
An aerial tower from McHenry Township Fire Protection District was set up at the front of the home. The crew put a hole in the roof to ventilate hot gases and smoke upward out of the house.
A MABAS Division 5 Box Alarm #5-1371 was activated by 3:52 p.m., bringing fire crews and equipment from several nearby communities. Staging for crew and equipment was located at Route 176 and Nish Road.
Firefighters, paramedics, and command officers from Algonquin, Barrington-Countryside, Buffalo Grove, Cary, Fox Lake, Fox River Grove, Grayslake, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Mundelein (truck unavailable; Buffalo Grove Q27 instead), Round Lake, Union, and Wauconda were assigned to the scene.
Firefighters, paramedics, and command officers from Wonder Lake and Woodstock were assigned to fire station standby in the Nunda Township Fire Protection District.
The Salvation Army Canteen (McHenry County Rehab Canteen) also responded to the fire scene.
The fire was declared under control by 4:14 p.m.
The American Red Cross is working to help two residents who were displaced by the damage that occurred from fire, heat, smoke and water at the home.
A cat was found deceased, and a second cat was missing after the fire was extinguished.
The cause of the fire was not initially released, while a fire investigation is underway.
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