A McHenry home was left uninhabitable Thursday afternoon after flames and smoke engulfed the house, causing significant damage, fire officials said.
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded around 4 p.m. Thursday to the 1900 block of Lakewood Avenue in McHenry for a report of a structure fire.
Firefighters arrived to find a single-story house with a heavy amount of smoke and fire throughout the inside of the residence, according to Battalion Chief Kevin Sears.
“Crews initiated an aggressive interior attack by entering the house from the rear. Fire had extended into the attic, so a hole was immediately cut in the roof to release the flames and heated gases from the interior,” Sears said.
Simultaneously, the inside of the house was searched for any people still inside. The home was occupied at the time of the fire but all residents exited prior to the fire department’s arrival.
Firefighters were able to cut off the spread of the fire and contain it to only half of the structure, Sears said.
The house, which was deemed uninhabitable, sustained significant heat, smoke and water damage. A preliminary damage estimate was not immediately available.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and it is unknown if smoke detectors were present in the house. No injuries were reported.
The Crystal Lake, Antioch, Wonder Lake and Woodstock fire departments assisted at the scene while other neighboring departments covered McHenry’s calls.