Firefighters rescued three pets from a fire that injured one resident and heavily engulfed a house in Round Lake, causing significant damage late Wednesday evening.
The Grayslake Fire Protection District, Round Lake Police Department and several automatic aid fire departments responded around 11:10 p.m. Wednesday to the 1900 block of South Jonathan Drive in Round Lake for a report of a structure fire.
The address is in the Village of Round Lake but is covered by the Grayslake Fire Protection District.
The first fire engine arrived within six minutes and found heavy fire coming from the garage and second floor, which was spreading to the attic area of a two-story home, Grayslake Battalion Fire Chief Jim Weidman said.
Three residents were in the home at the time of the fire, who were able to escape before firefighters arrived.
“We initiated a defensive mode of attack due to the heavy fire conditions,” Weidman said at the scene.
The home’s structural integrity was also compromised, posing a hazard for firefighters.
A ladder truck from the Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District was deployed to attack the fire from above, Weidman said.
Firefighters rescued three pets from the house, and they were reunited with their owners.
In one of the rescues, firefighters were seen deploying a ground ladder to the left side of the home and safely rescuing a cat from an opening on the second floor.
One of the residents sustained minor injuries and was evaluated by paramedics, but they refused to be transported to the hospital, Weidman said.
No one else was injured.
A box alarm was requested for both firefighting apparatus and fire investigators through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System.
Emergency vehicles were lined along Jonathan Drive and Cedar Lake Road south of Route 60.
The American Red Cross was not needed because the displaced residents were able to find a place to stay, Weidman added.
The Greater Round Lake, Countryside, Libertyville, Mundelein, Fox Lake, Lake Villa, Beach Park and Wauconda fire departments assisted at the scene.
The Newport Township, Antioch, Beach Park, Waukegan, North Chicago and Long Grove fire departments provided coverage for Grayslake during the incident.
The fire remains under investigation, but damage is estimated at $400,000, Weidman said.