Newlyweds who have a baby on the way were left homeless just months after purchasing their dream home when their house caught on fire, leaving their cat seriously injured, in Wonder Lake.
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded around 4:25 p.m. Saturday to the 2000 block of Winterberry Trail in Wonder Lake for a report of a structure fire.
Multiple 911 calls were received reporting smoke and flames from a home and firefighters responding saw a smoke header in the distance.
Firefighters arrived in four minutes and found a two-story, single-family dwelling with heavy flames coming from the attached garage, according to McHenry Township Fire Protection District Acting Battalion Chief Todd Robel.
The resident advised fire crews that everyone had exited the home.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the box alarm level for additional fire departments to respond due to the extent of the fire, Robel said.
Firefighters initially knocked down the bulk of the fire with a master stream device, which produces a large volume of water.
Robel said fire crews then pulled a hose line and went inside the home to extinguish the remaining fire and conduct overhaul operations.
Firefighters located and rescued a cat from inside the house.
Neighbor Jennifer Zoetmulder said the cat was transported to an emergency veterinarian for smoke inhalation.
The cat, Remi, remains under veterinary care after suffering significant smoke exposure.
Two people were injured and transported to the hospital in good condition, Robel said. No firefighter injuries were reported.
The home was deemed uninhabitable, leaving the residents displaced. A car inside the garage was destroyed.
Zoetmulder said the homeowners, Morgan and Carter Herber, recently got married and are expecting their first child in four months after buying the home, which was their dream home.
“Carter was home and ran out of the home in just a t-shirt and sweatpants. They have nothing but the clothes they had on their backs. It will be a long road for them but with our help we can help them get back on their feet,” Zoetmulder said.
A donation station has been established at the Stonewater clubhouse for clothing and household items.
Morgan is a size large maternity and a women’s 7.5 shoe. Carter is a medium in clothing and a men’s size 10 shoe and is a personal trainer who wears a lot of athletic wear, Zoetmulder said.
Morgan Herber said she got married to her husband on June 7 and moved into their forever home on Winterberry Trail on November 28, less than three months before the fire occurred.
She said the two are expecting a baby boy in July and are “devastated” by the possibility that he may not have a nursery to come home to.
Morgan Herber said she has felt an “overwhelming amount” of love and support from the community, family and friends.
A GoFundMe account has raised almost $6,000 as of Tuesday.
The Antioch, Cary, Crystal Lake, Fox Lake, Grayslake, Hebron, Lake Villa, Nunda, Richmond, Round Lake, Salem Lakes, Spring Grove, Twin Lakes, Wauconda, Waukegan and Woodstock fire departments responded to the scene and to cover McHenry stations.
The Salvation Army Canteen responded to the scene to provide refreshments to the fire crews.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the McHenry Township Fire Protection District and a damage estimate was not immediately available.