Two occupants were rescued by police and evaluated by paramedics and firefighters rescued a cat after a fire left a house uninhabitable in Crystal Lake Thursday afternoon.
The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department and Crystal Lake Police Department responded around 3:12 p.m. Thursday to the 800 block of Cambridge Place in Crystal Lake for a report of a structure fire.
Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department Deputy Chief Mark Menzel said dispatch advised responding fire crews that two people were still inside the home.
Police officers were attempting to evacuate the residents. Firefighters arrived to find smoke showing from the residence.
Firefighters confirmed that officers had successfully rescued the two occupants, Menzel said.
All residents and officers were confirmed out of the home and the incident was upgraded to a working fire response to bring additional resources to the scene.
Menzel said firefighters went inside the house and began working to extinguish the fire.
Other crews simultaneously worked to search the residence, ensuring no one was still inside, and ventilating the structure.
Firefighters found a cat inside the home and rescued it, Menzel said. The fire was brought under control in approximately 20 minutes.
Fire crews remained on the scene to check if the fire extended and investigate the cause and origin of the fire.
The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department was assisted by the Algonquin, Huntley, Cary, Fox River Grove and Nunda fire departments.
The Woodstock and Carpentersville fire departments provided fire station coverage for Crystal Lake.
The house was deemed uninhabitable and the American Red Cross was called to assist the residents with alternative housing arrangements, Menzel said.
The occupants of the home were assessed by paramedics at the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.