A garage was left a total loss and two cars were also destroyed after the garage became fully engulfed in flames, sending heavy black smoke into the sky, in Beach Park.
The Beach Park Fire Department responded around 11:10 a.m. Monday to the 38400 block of North De Woody Road in Beach Park for a report of a structure fire.
Beach Park Fire Department Battalion Chief Thomas Hopkins said the homeowners called 911 after seeing smoke.
They evacuated the home prior to the fire department arriving at the scene.
Responding firefighters reported seeing a large smoke header in the distance.
They arrived to find a two-car garage fully engulfed in flames and smoke, Hopkins said.
The incident was upgraded to a Working Still Alarm to bring additional resources to the scene.
The garage was detached from the home and approximately 12 feet away.
Hopkins said no one was inside the garage and everyone from the home was accounted for.
Firefighters pulled two hose lines and began extinguishing the fire. Crews initially focused on protecting the house from catching fire.
Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control quickly within 5-7 minutes of arriving, Hopkins said.
Fire crews remained at the scene for an additional half an hour. No injuries were reported to any residents or firefighters.
The garage was a total loss and two cars that were inside the garage were also destroyed.
Hopkins said the house sustained minor damage to the siding.
The fire did not spread to the house but the damage was due to radiant heat to the siding.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation but no foul play is suspected, Hopkins said.
The Zion, Newport, Winthrop Harbor, Pleasant Prairie and Waukegan fire departments assisted at the scene.
The Grayslake and Lake Villa fire departments covered Beach Park’s fire station during the incident.