No one was injured but multiple residents were displaced after a garage fire damaged two townhouses and an electric vehicle in Waukegan Saturday evening.
The Waukegan Fire Department responded around 6 p.m. Saturday to the 1500 block of Candlestick Way in Waukegan for a report of a structure fire.
Firefighters arrived and found heavy fire coming from the garage of the middle unit of a two-story townhouse, Waukegan Battalion Fire Chief of Administration Todd Zupec said.
The occupants of the townhouse evacuated prior to the fire department’s arrival.
There was also an electric vehicle inside the garage.
The first arriving engine crew – based out of Waukegan Fire Station #2 off O’Plaine Road, which covers the southwest corner of the fire department’s district – initiated an offensive attack while waiting for additional fire apparatus to arrive.
When additional support arrived, crews completed ventilation and search operations of the townhouse, Zupec said.
“Most of the fire was contained to the garage area, but there was extension into the unit and some roof and soffit areas,” Zupec said.
Tow truck crews responded to remove the electric vehicle from the garage so firefighters could fully extinguish the fire.
Crews continued to remain on scene to conduct overhaul operations, like extinguishing hot spots, of the garage and living areas of the townhouse.
The incident was upgraded to the box alarm level for change of quarters companies only through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), bringing in other fire departments to cover other calls in Waukegan.
No one was injured, Zupec added.
The American Red Cross was requested for occupants from two of the townhouse units who were displaced.
The Waukegan Building Department and damage restoration crews with RESTORE also responded to the scene.
A damage estimate was not immediately available.
The fire remains under investigation by the Waukegan Fire Department.