A family of five, who has a baby on the way, was left homeless after a massive fire left their house destroyed and sent flames through the roof in Lake Villa on New Year’s Eve.
The Lake Villa Fire Protection District responded around 10:44 p.m. Wednesday to the 400 block of Red Cedar Road in Lake Villa for a report of a structure fire.
Multiple people called 911 to report that a house was on fire on Red Cedar Road just east of Pine Tree Drive.
Fire crews arrived and reported heavy flames showing from the second floor of a two-story, single-family residential.
The incident was upgraded to a Working Still Alarm, bringing additional fire departments to the scene to assist, including Antioch, Round Lake, Wauconda, Fox Lake and Grayslake.
The incident was soon upgraded again through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) to a box alarm, prompting even more area fire departments to respond.
A witness reported that it appeared firefighters encountered water issues as heavy flames erupted through the roof of the home.
ComEd and Nicor Gas were both called to the scene to shut off utilities to the home. No injuries were reported.
A board-up company responded to the scene to shore up the structure.
Ayo Tunde and his family were at church when they learned their house was on fire. “Thankfully, everyone is safe and unharmed.”
“Special thanks to our wonderful friends and neighbors that are as good as family, the officers of the Lake Villa Police, Lake Villa Fire Protection District and other neighboring Fire and Police personnel for their selfless service, show of support, and gifts. God bless you,” Tunde said.
The family of five, consisting of a father, a mother and three daughters, was left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
The home was deemed uninhabitable and the family, which has another baby on the way, cannot enter the home to retrieve anything due to safety concerns.
A GoFundMe account has raised over $2,000 so far to help the family pay for alternative living arrangements.
The Lake Villa Fire Protection District has not released further details on the fire, including what may have caused it.