Almost two dozen fire departments responded after a house became fully engulfed in flames within minutes and left a man injured and two cats missing near Crystal Lake Thursday morning.
The Nunda Rural Fire Protection District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 3:51 a.m. Thursday to the 1800 block of Louise Street in unincorporated Crystal Lake for a report of a structure fire.
Nunda Rural Fire Protection District Communication Specialist Alex Vucha said firefighters arrived in eight minutes to find an active house fire.
Heavy flames were showing from the front of the two-story residence.
Firefighters confirmed only one resident was home and had escaped prior to their arrival.
Defensive operations were established surrounding the home due to the rapidly evolving fire conditions, Vucha said.
Vucha said the home was fully engulfed in flames within minutes.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the second alarm level for additional resources to the scene and units to cover Nunda’s fire station.
The fire was considered under control almost an hour and a half later at 5:15 a.m. Overhaul and investigations continued throughout the morning.
The home and contents are considered a complete loss, Vucha said. Damage estimates were not immediately unavailable.
An adult male resident was transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry with minor injuries and has since been released. Two cats are reported to be missing.
At least 22 fire departments from Lake, McHenry and Cook counties responded to the scene.
Vucha said the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Nunda Rural Fire Protection District.