Two residents were able to safely escape a fire that left their home heavily damaged and uninhabitable in unincorporated Antioch Friday evening, fire officials said.
The Antioch Fire Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office and multiple automatic aid fire departments responded around 6:15 p.m. Friday to the 26900 block of Route 173 in unincorporated Antioch for a report of a house fire.
Firefighters arrived in minutes and found heavy flames and smoke coming out from two windows of the front of the two-story home, Antioch Battalion Fire Chief Joseph DuShane said at the scene.
The fire was spreading to the second floor of the house when crews pulled up.
DuShane said he and the other first-arriving firefighters saw heavy smoke from a distance that was coming from the home.
There were two residents at the time of the fire, and they were able to safely evacuate by the time firefighters arrived, DuShane said. There were no pets inside the home.
Crews deployed multiple hose lines to attack the fire.
“Crews made a good exterior knockdown and went interior to finish fighting the fire from the inside of the hallway and second room,” DuShane said.
The area does not have fire hydrants, so water tenders were set up to provide adequate water for fire suppression operations.
Firefighters initially faced traffic issues at the scene because cars continued driving eastbound and westbound on Route 173 while firefighters were working in the road.
Sheriff’s deputies eventually shut down Route 173 between North Pedersen Lane and North Lake Avenue.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control at around 6:40 p.m.
Field employees with ComEd and Nicor Gas responded to tend to electricity and gas.
Crews conducted overhaul operations – which is the process of searching for hidden and smoldering fire – for another hour until the fire was fully extinguished at around 7:40 p.m.
No one was injured, DuShane said.
The fire caused heavy fire, smoke and heat damage to both floors of the home.
The house is uninhabitable, and the residents were displaced.
The Newport Township, Greater Round Lake, Fox Lake, Spring Grove, McHenry Township, Bristol and Salem Lakes fire departments assisted the Antioch Fire Department at the scene.
“I just want to thank everyone that showed up here from surrounding towns,” DuShane said.
“Everyone did a good job and we all worked together,” DuShane added.
Investigators are continuing to look into what caused the fire. A damage estimate was not immediately available.