Route 31 in Crystal Lake was temporarily completely shut down after a minivan caught on fire and became fully engulfed in flames Sunday evening.
The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department and Crystal Lake Police Department responded around 8:23 p.m. Sunday to the area of Route 14 and Route 31 for a report of a vehicle fire.
Multiple passerbys called 911 to report that a vehicle was on fire on Route 31 at Route 14.
Two occupants from the vehicle were able to escape the vehicle before the fire department arrived, according to fire department radio traffic. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters arrived to find a minivan fully engulfed in flames in the southbound lanes north of Northwest Highway.
Video taken by a bystander showed the vehicle completely engulfed in flames with heavy black smoke emitting into the sky.
A fire department water tender truck was specially requested to the scene to assist in extinguishing the fire.
Southbound Route 31 was shut down until the fire department extinguished the fire.
Officers opened the right lane exiting to Route 14 after the fire was extinguished, before later reopening Route 31 after the vehicle was towed.
Firefighters remained at the scene for approximately 50 minutes.
A woman said her teenage daughter was directly behind the car when it burst into flames.
The girl called 911 and stayed at the scene. “She said it was absolutely crazy and super scary.”