Firefighters found two cats dead while extinguishing a fire that sent flames billowing from a home and left the residents displaced in McHenry Friday morning.
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded around 11 a.m. Friday to the 4800 block of Pyndale Drive in McHenry for a report of a structure fire.
McHenry Township Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Ryan Mastandrea said firefighters responding were informed everyone was out of the house except for some pets that remained inside.
Fire crews reported seeing a smoke header in the distance while on the way to the scene.
Firefighters arrived on the scene within four minutes to find a two-story, split-level home with heavy flames visible from a basement window.
Mastandrea said the fire was spreading to the second floor and attic.
The incident was upgraded to a working fire to bring additional fire department personnel to the scene and to cover McHenry fire stations.
Firefighters deployed hose lines through the basement window and the front door of the home to extinguish the fire while also searching the home for trapped victims, Mastandrea said.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated for fire investigators to respond and assist in the investigation.
Firefighters found two dead cats inside. Other animals had gotten out safely.
No residents or firefighters were injured, Mastandrea said. The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes.
The house was deemed uninhabitable and the American Red Cross is providing assistance to the displaced residents.
The Barrington-Countryside, Cary, Crystal Lake, Fox Lake, Wauconda, Wonder Lake, Richmond, Round Lake, Spring Grove and Woodstock fire departments assisted either at the scene or covering McHenry fire stations.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and a damage estimate was not immediately available.