Fire officials say three horses and a pony were killed after a three-alarm fire fully engulfed a large barn near Marengo early Tuesday evening.
The Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 3 a.m. Tuesday to the 10800 block of Carls Road in unincorporated Marengo for a report of a structure fire.
Firefighters arrived and encountered significant fire conditions in a large barn, which was approximately 150 by 80 feet, according to Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts Public Information Officer Alex Vucha.
Firefighters began deploying hose lines to contain the fire and establishing water supply operations along the roadway to address the challenges of the rural location, Vucha said.
The incident was initially upgraded to a second alarm through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) due to the size of the fire and the need for additional resources.
The incident was later elevated to a third alarm for additional water tenders and manpower.
“Operating in a rural area with no nearby fire hydrants, firefighters relied on water tenders to shuttle water from a hydrant located approximately 3.5 miles away,” Vucha said.
Crews were focused on containing the fire and protecting nearby structures from radiant heat.
Three horses and a pony were unable to escape the barn and died in the fire.
Vucha said a resident was transported to a hospital for a medical emergency unrelated to the fire.
No injuries were reported among firefighters or residents.
The fire was declared under control by 4:30 a.m. and crews remained on the scene until 7 a.m. to extinguish remaining hotspots and conduct the investigation.
The Algonquin, Belvidere, Boone County #1, Boone County #2, Burlington, Cherry Valley, Elgin, Genoa-Kingston, Hampshire, Hebron, Huntley, Kirkland, Pingree Grove, Richmond, Rutland-Dundee, Sycamore, Union and Woodstock fire departments assisted during the incident. The Salvation Army also responded.
The fire is not believed to be suspicious in nature but remains under investigation by the Marengo Fire and Rescue Districts, Vucha said.