A dozen fire departments were called after significant flames and smoke erupted from a large pole barn, causing a partial collapse, at a facility in Lake in the Hills Wednesday morning.
The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District and Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District responded around 12:56 a.m. Wednesday to Fox Valley Power Sports, 8815 South Route 31 in Lake in the Hills, for a report of a commercial structure fire.
Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District Fire Chief John Knebl said firefighters arrived on the scene in five minutes.
They encountered significant fire and smoke in a metal pole barn facility that housed snowmobiles, boats and personal watercraft.
The incident was quickly upgraded through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System to the box alarm level due to the volume of fire and the size of the building, Knebl said.
The upgrade brought multiple area fire departments to the scene to assist with fire suppression and water supply operations.
Knebl said firefighters pulled hose lines and went inside the barn to extinguish the fire but a partial roof collapse occurred.
Firefighters were ordered out of the structure and operations transitioned to an exterior-only attack on the fire.
It took approximately an hour and a half until the fire was declared under control at 2:24 a.m., Knebl said.
No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported. Southbound Route 31 was shut down for several hours.
The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District was assisted by the Cary, Fox River Grove, Huntley, Crystal Lake, West Dundee, Carpentersville, Barrington-Countryside, Lake Zurich, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, McHenry and Woodstock fire departments.
The Salvation Army Canteen from McHenry County responded to the scene to provide refreshments to the firefighters.
Knebl said the cause of the fire is currently undetermined and remains under investigation by Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire District.
A damage estimate was not immediately available.