A family was left homeless and firefighters rescued a cat after a fire fully engulfed a garage attached to a house, causing extensive damage, near Lake Villa Thursday evening.
The Lake Villa Fire Protection District responded around 5:50 p.m. Thursday to the 39500 block of North Beck Road in unincorporated Lake Villa for a report of a structure fire.
Fire crews arrived to find a two-car garage attached to a two-story, single-family home that was fully engulfed in flames.
Lake Villa Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Jay Vance said the family was outside of the home when crews arrived.
Firefighters pulled hose lines and worked for approximately 15 minutes to bring the fire under control.
The house is located in unincorporated Lake County but borders Lindenhurst and there was one fire hydrant in front of the home, which is the last one on that road, Vance said.
Firefighters searched the home and rescued one cat that was found. Vance said he did not have a condition of the animal.
No injuries were reported to any firefighters or residents. Vance said it took approximately 3,000 gallons of water to extinguish.
The garage sustained extensive damage and there was additionally smoke damage inside the house.
The house was deemed uninhabitable and the cause of the fire is unknown so far, Vance said.
The family, consisting of a husband and wife and three children, will be staying with other family members until repairs can be made.
The Antioch, Round Lake, Gurnee and Fox Lake fire departments assisted during the incident.
Vance said the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Lake Villa Fire Protection District.