Firefighters and paramedics from Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts responded about 8:59 p.m. Monday, October 13, 2025 to a report of a car crash into a residential garage with a fire and a girl trapped in the burning vehicle at Schultz Farms & Grain, 22820 River Road near Marengo.
Firefighters and paramedics from Woodstock and Union were also assigned because the vehicle was right next to a garage, but Woodstock and Union were returned when it was determined the garage and house were not on fire.
Police officers who were first on the scene reported the vehicle and the house was on fire. Police tried to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers, but the vehicle fire was expanding with a victim inside.
Marengo fire on arrival reported a single vehicle crash with the vehicle fully-involved and the house not involved. The siding on the house was beginning to melt. The fire was extinguished by 9:10 p.m.
The car also struck a tree and a post before stopping near the garage.
There were two occupants in the vehicle when the crash occurred. The female driver of the car was unable to escape, but a male driver was able to escape.
The adult male was transported to a Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital with injuries initially believed to be non-life-threatening. No other injuries were reported at the scene.
Initial investigation shows that a 2011 Toyota Prius was traveling westbound on River Road. While navigating a curve, the Toyota traveled off the roadway to the north, striking a tree and a post before catching fire near a garage, according to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and McHenry County Regional Major Crash Assistance Team (MCAT) are investigating the crash. The crash scene was located near a left turn curve for westbound motorists on River Road, and a right turn curve for eastbound River Road. A diamond warning sign with a posted speed limit of 35 MPH is posted ahead of the curve in each direction. River Road is a two-way rural highway (one lane each direction) with narrow gravel shoulders on each side.
River Road was shut down at Constance Lane during rescue, but then during the investigation, River Road was closed between Cox Road and Hawthorn Road. The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office reported at 4:35 a.m. Tuesday that River Road was re-opened.
DEVELOPING IF CONTENT IS AVAILABLE …
Stay informed with news from The Cardinal’s Emergencies Behind the Scenes Facebook page — Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies. Includes links to favorite public safety and emergency rescuers and product manufacturers and safety companies that have facebook pages. Submit your pictures or just stay up-to-date on with fire, rescue, EMS and police photo galleries. Please add your public safety photo to the wall album — go direct to the Arlington Cardinal Emergencies Behind the Scenes photos. For a list of all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages, go to Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …
Help fund The Cardinal Arlingtoncardinal.com/sponsor
