A car drove through a garage door and partially crashed through the living space of a house, leaving the residents displaced and prompting a major fire department response in Zion Saturday afternoon.
The Zion Fire and Rescue Department responded around 2:05 p.m. Saturday to the 3100 block of Kensington Lane in Zion for a report of a structural collapse.
Zion Fire Rescue Department Lt. Ian Kennedy said a car had driven through the garage door, went through the garage area and partially crashed into the living space of the home.
Initial reports indicated the crash was accidental and the driver reported an issue with their vehicle’s brakes.
The fire department is a member of the Lake County Specialized Response Team, which in conjunction with the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Division 4 Technical Rescue Teams, brings resources to help with situations like this from across the Lake, McHenry and Kenosha Counties.
A number of structural collapse technicians and support personnel responded to help with the situation.
“We thank our Mutual Aid partners from all over for their valuable assistance with this scene; Local fire departments do not have the staffing, equipment, or resources to handle emergencies of this nature alone,” Kennedy said.
Moderate to heavy damage was found to the home but there were no immediate major hazards to mitigate and no one was trapped inside.
All occupants were out of the car and home and no injuries reported.
Firefighters assisted in removing family pets from the home after everyone was evacuated.
Fire crews found that a natural gas line was damaged, causing a small leak in the home. The gas meter was then shut off.
Firefighters later worked on removing the car with a local tow company.
It was believed that the damaged interior area included a load-bearing wall, which led to the Zion Building Department determining it was necessary to stabilize the building against further damage or collapse during the removal process.
A board-up company was requested to secure the home after the incident was completely stabilized.
The American Red Cross was called to assist with the temporary placement of the family and their pets.
The family will be displaced from their home for a while until the area can be effectively reinforced and rebuilt to ensure it is safe for them to live. Damage was estimated at least $30,000.