A driver was cited after driving through the scene of a house fire and damaging a fire hose in McHenry as officials call on motorists to be cautious around emergency scenes.
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded on January 14 to a structure fire in the 5900 block of Fox Lake Road in unincorporated McHenry.
Flames were coming from the rear of the one-story residence and firefighters deployed hose lines to the rear of the home and to the inside of the residence.
While fire suppression efforts were underway, a driver drove around a marked McHenry County Sheriff’s Office squad that had its emergency lights activated with the road closed, according to McHenry Deputy Fire Chief Steven Spraker.
The vehicle struck and damaged a fire hose that was being used at the scene.
“Fortunately, this had a minimal impact on firefighting operations, and firefighters successfully contained and extinguished the fire,” Spraker said.
The driver of the vehicle was issued citations for crossing a fire hose without consent of a fire department official and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
Spraker said incidents like these highlight the “critical need” for the public to exercise caution and follow traffic control measures around emergency scenes.
“Damage to equipment not only endangers the safety of the responding personnel but can also delay critical firefighting efforts,” he said.
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District said motorists should follow several safety guidelines when encountering an emergency scene.
Those include not crossing barricades or road closures, slowing down and staying alert, following the instructions of emergency responders and observing the scene.
“Reduce your speed when approaching an emergency scene and be mindful of personnel and equipment in the roadway,” the fire district said.
McHenry Fire Chief Rudy Horist said the fire district’s top priority is ensuring the safety of the community and firefighters during emergencies.
“We urge everyone to remain vigilant when approaching emergency scenes,” Horist said.