Firefighters extinguished two separate fires that damaged homes in Zion just hours apart, one of which left the residents displaced from their house.
The Zion Fire and Rescue Department responded around 6:56 p.m. Saturday to the 3000 block of Eschol Avenue in Zion for a report of a structure fire.
Zion Fire and Rescue Department Lt. Nick Urbanik said crews found smoke showing from the roof on all sides and flames on the exterior corner of the home.
Neighbors initially reported that the homeowners were possibly still inside the home.
Firefighters quickly made entry to the home by forcing the front door and performing a search while coordinating fire attack operations, Urbanik said.
The search resulted in no one being found in the home. Heavy fire was found in the garage, which required crews to cut and remove the garage door.
Firefighters were unable to notify the homeowners but they ended up arriving home toward the end of the incident, Urbanik said.
The extent of fire and the utilities being shut off resulted in the home being deemed uninhabitable. The residents arranged to stay with family for the evening.
Urbanik said the fire department was already on two previous calls at the time the incident was dispatched, leading to neighboring fire departments being requested to assist.
The fire, which caused $100,000 in damage, originated in the garage and the cause is still under investigation.
The Beach Park, Gurnee, Winthrop Harbor, Pleasant Prairie and Newport fire departments assisted during the incident.
Urbanik said it can be helpful for homeowners to provide their neighbors with contact information for emergency situations such as this.
“Providing such information to neighbors can greatly assist crews in better directing efforts for rescue or suppression operations, and more accurately develop strategic and tactical objectives for the incident,” he said.
Around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, the Zion Fire and Rescue Department responded to another structure fire in the 2300 block of 20th Street in Zion.
Zion Fire Rescue Chief Justin Stried said the fire was small and initial responding firefighters, who found light smoke showing from the outside, were able to handle in extinguishing it.
The incident was the third fire in 48 hours that the department responded to.
Zion Fire Rescue Department Battalion Chief Eric Troy said a 911 caller reported an attic fire in the 3000 block of Gabriel Avenue around 3 a.m. Friday.
Firefighters arrived to find smoke from the roof area. All occupants from the home had already exited.
Troy said the initial fire department response was upgraded to bring other fire departments to the scene and to cover Zion fire stations.
The Beach Park, Winthrop Harbor, Pleasant Prairie, Newport, Gurnee, North Chicago, Antioch and Libertyville fire departments assisted during the incident.
Hose lines were pulled and used to begin extinguishing the fire while firefighters connected to a nearby fire hydrant for a continuous water supply.
The fire was found in the attic space and quick-acting firefighters contained and extinguished the fire within minutes of arrival, Troy said.
“This resulted in significantly reduced damage from water/smoke/heat throughout the residence,” he said.