Residents were left homeless after a blaze sent flames erupting from the second floor of their house, causing significant damage, in Waukegan, fire officials said.
The Waukegan Fire Department and Waukegan Police Department responded around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday to the 800 block of Lincoln Avenue in Waukegan for a report of a structure fire.
Waukegan Fire Department Battalion Chief of Administration Todd Zupec said firefighters arrived to find a working house fire.
Flames were coming from two second-floor windows and heavy smoke was coming out of a second-floor door.
Fire crews began an aggressive offensive attack on the fire by deploying hose lines and entering the home to extinguish the blaze.
Firefighters conducted searches of the home for any victims, Zupec said.
They also performed vertical ventilation on the roof to release smoke and heat from the structure.
The fire was brought under control in approximately 15 minutes after the fire department arrived.
Zupec said firefighters remained at the scene for approximately an hour to conduct salvage and overhaul operations.
No one was in the house at the time of the fire. A resident arrived home to find smoke coming from the eaves of the structure.
The resident tried to enter the home but was unable due to the heavy smoke from the second floor, Zupec said.
The cause of the fire appears to be accidental but the investigation is ongoing.
No injuries were reported for any residents or firefighters. The home was deemed uninhabitable due to the extent of damage.
Zupec said the American Red Cross was notified and was assisting the residents with alternative arrangements.