Sleeping residents were awoken by their smoke alarms and escaped after a fire started inside their home, leaving it uninhabitable in North Barrington Wednesday morning.
The Lake Zurich Fire Department responded around 4:46 a.m. Wednesday to the 100 block of Old Oak Road in North Barrington for a call of smoke inside of a residence.
Lake Zurich Fire Chief David Pilgard said the residents were sleeping and woke up after hearing their smoke detectors had activated.
They called 911 and evacuated the large two-story home before firefighters arrived in four minutes.
An initial crew went inside and found smoke on the first floor and basement, Pilgard said.
The incident was upgraded to a structure fire response and the crew located the fire within five minutes.
The fire was in a void space between the floor joists and the foundation sill, Pilgard said.
Firefighters used fire extinguishers and then pulled a hose line to finish extinguishing it.
Crews performed overhaul operations to confirm the fire was out and an investigation began.
Investigators are looking at the possibility that an electrical issue started the fire, Pilgard said.
No injuries to any residents or firefighters were reported. No pets were inside the home.
Crews remained on the scene for two hours, Pilgard said. The house was deemed uninhabitable until repairs can be made.
Utilities were shut off and a board-up company responded to the home.
Pilgard said working smoke alarms played a vital role in the residents being alerted to the fire.
The Arlington Heights, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Countryside, Crystal Lake, Deerfield-Bannockburn, Inverness, Lake Forest, Long Grove, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods and Mundelein fire departments assisted.
A damage estimate was not immediately available.