A resident was displaced after a fire caused heavy damage to a mixed-use occupancy building on Sheridan Road in North Chicago Saturday afternoon, fire officials said.
The North Chicago Fire Department responded around 12:53 p.m. Saturday to 1710 Sheridan Road for a report of a structure fire.
North Chicago Fire Chief John Umek said the resident was upstairs in the building when they discovered a fire downstairs in their small business office.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke showing from both levels of a mixed-use building, which had an apartment on the second floor and office space on the first floor.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the box alarm level for additional resources to the scene.
Fire crews discovered the fire was inside at the rear of the building in an office area, Umek said.
Firefighters performed an aggressive interior attack and were able to extinguish the fire quickly and ventilate the smoke out of the building.
Umek said heavy fire damage was sustained in the rear office and heavy smoke damage was sustained throughout the first floor.
The sole resident, who lives in the upstairs apartment, was able to evacuate.
Umek said no injuries were reported to the resident or any firefighters. No pets were inside the building.
The resident made arrangements to stay with family after the building was deemed uninhabitable due to the heavy damage.
A MABAS box was also activated to bring several fire investigators to the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The fire chief said it is important for residents to have working smoke detectors, which are available for free to North Chicago residents who can contact the North Chicago Fire Department to facilitate the installation of them.