A sober living group home in Crystal Lake is seeking donations after its building was destroyed by a fire that also left its eight residents without any belongings.
The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department responded around 11:50 p.m. Tuesday to Last Chance House, 244 2nd Street in Crystal Lake, for a report of a structure fire.
Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department Battalion Chief Rick Kaiser said firefighters arrived in three minutes to find heavy flames showing.
The flames had engulfed much of the two-story structure.
Eight occupants were inside the building at the time of the fire, Kaiser said.
The residents were all able to escape without injury and were relocated with the assistance of the Salvation Army.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the box alarm level to bring numerous additional area fire departments to the scene, Kaiser said.
The Algonquin, Huntley, McHenry, Cary, Nunda, Wonder Lake and Fox River Grove fire departments assisted at the scene.
The Marengo, Carpentersville, Woodstock and West Dundee fire departments covered Crystal Lake fire stations.
It took firefighters over an hour to get the fire under control.
Kaiser said the multi-family home sustained heavy fire damage and a partial collapse of the structure occurred.
The building was deemed uninhabitable. Firefighters remained on the scene throughout Wednesday extinguishing hidden fires and investigating.
Power, gas and water were disconnected from the property following the fire.
No injuries were reported to any residents or firefighters, Kaiser said.
The building is home to the Last Chance House, which is a non-profit organization started in 2005 that provides short-term housing for men seeking recovery from alcoholism.
Last Chance House Board of Directors President John Danley said the eight men who resided in the home lost all of their clothes and personal belongings in the blaze.
The organization said the fire has disrupted the work they do and they are working quickly to take the next steps to continue to help men as they recover from alcoholism.
Last Chance House said anyone who wishes to donate can do so by visiting their website.
The cause of the fire has not been released and the incident remains under investigation. A damage estimate was not immediately available.