Over a dozen fire departments responded to a three alarm fire at a townhouse in Crystal Lake Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department responded around 1:05 p.m. to the 400 block of Windham Cove Drive for a report of a structure fire.
The first fire company arrived at the scene six minutes later and found a fully involved townhome unit with two units attached to it, Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Chris Kopera said.
All three townhome units had already been evacuated and the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System was activated to the second alarm, bringing over a dozen fire departments to assist.
The alarm was then raised to the third level for additional fire personnel because of the heat and humidity, Kopera said.
“Fire crews worked to minimize extension into the two adjoining townhome units, while extinguishing the main body of fire,” Kopera said.
The fire was deemed under control at 2:32 p.m., almost an hour and a half after the initial response. The cause of the fire is under investigation. All three townhome units were deemed uninhabitable by the Crystal Lake Building Department.
The American Red Cross is assisting three residents who do not have other housing available to them, fire officials said. Damage is estimated at $700,000.
Firefighters from Algonquin-Lake in the Hills, Barrington-Countryside, Carpentersville, Cary, Fox River Grove, Harvard, Huntley, Lake Zurich, Marengo, McHenry, Nunda-Rural, Spring Grove, Wauconda, West Dundee, Woodstock and Wonder Lake assisted during the incident.
The McHenry County Emergency Management Agency and The Salvation Army also responded.