Multiple dogs and cats are unaccounted for after a fire injured two residents and left their house a complete loss near Woodstock Saturday morning, authorities said.
The Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts responded around 11:26 a.m. Saturday to the 3600 block of Vermont Road in unincorporated Woodstock for a report of a structure fire.
Firefighters arrived within nine minutes of the call to find a one-story house heavily engulfed in smoke and flames, according to Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts Communication Specialist Alex Vucha.
Firefighters accounted for the occupants of the home while starting fire suppression operations.
Firefighters had to work in a defensive mode by surrounding the home with water due to quickly evolving fire behavior, Vucha said.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the second alarm level for additional fire crews and resources to respond to the scene.
Vucha said two female occupants were home when the fire began. They escaped prior to the arrival of first responders.
Both occupants were evaluated by paramedics for minor injuries but were not transported to the hospital.
Two dogs and several cats are left unaccounted for following the fire, Vucha said.
The fire is believed to have begun at the rear of the home and spread rapidly throughout.
The house and contents are a complete loss. Damage estimates are still being evaluated.
The fire remains under investigation by the Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts and McHenry County Sheriffโs Office.
The fire was the second structure fire handled by Marengo Fire and Rescue District crews in less than 24 hours.
“We greatly appreciate the assistance of our neighboring agencies and the resources they are able to deliver during these large-scale incidents,” Vucha said.