Two people were injured and one victim was left trapped in a fiery crash near Huntley just minutes before a house fire left residents displaced near Huntley Wednesday afternoon.
The Huntley Fire Protection District responded around 4:29 p.m. Wednesday to the area of Haligus Road and Lakewood Road in unincorporated Huntley for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries.
Huntley Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said it was reported to be a head-on crash just south of the intersection.
911 callers reported that one of the vehicles was on fire and an occupant was possibly trapped.
Fire crews arrived shortly after and confirmed a head-on crash involving two vehicles off the roadway, Vucha said.
Flames were showing from the engine compartment of a white Dodge Charger.
Firefighters deployed a hose line and extinguished the fire. Firefighters had to extricate the driver of a black Kia SUV.
Both adult drivers, who were the sole occupants of their vehicles, were transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Huntley with minor to moderate injuries, Vucha said.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the cause of the crash.
While the fire district was still at the scene, they received a report of a residential structure fire in the 10800 block of Seeman Road in unincorporated Huntley around 4:40 p.m.
Initial 911 callers reported flames showing from the roof.
“Due to several ongoing calls, the incident was upgraded to a working structure fire, prompting a response from additional personnel, water tenders, and change of quarters companies,” Vucha said.
Firefighters arrived to find smoke showing from a single-story home.
Additional fire crews established rural water operations and stretched a hose line to the house.
Vucha said the fire was located in the garage and was quickly extinguished. The damage was limited to the garage but the home is considered uninhabitable until repairs are made.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Huntley Fire Protection District.
“We are grateful for the assistance of our neighboring agencies and proud of all our members who worked together to manage multiple complex incidents within minutes of each other,” Fire Chief Dan Wagner said.
“When it rains, it pours, and we have a great team ready to handle whatever comes our way,” Wagner said.