Dozens of firefighters spent hours battling a fire that destroyed a home and caused it to partially collapse after the residents escaped in Wadsworth Friday evening.
The Winthrop Harbor Fire Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office and several automatic aid fire departments responded around 10:20 p.m. Friday to the 41400 block of Green Bay Road, just south of Route 173 in Wadsworth, for a report of a structure fire.
The incident was located within the Village of Wadsworth but is primarily covered by the Winthrop Harbor Fire Department.
A fire engine from the Zion Fire Department arrived on scene first and found a two-story house engulfed in flames.
A significant amount of fire was coming from the attached garage and spreading to the house, Winthrop Harbor Fire Chief Rocco Campanella said.
All residents were out of the house before firefighters arrived, Campanella said, but part of the house had already collapsed.
Firefighters quickly deployed hose lines and began extinguishing the fire.
A Working Still Alarm was requested, which brought in an additional flow of resources, Campanella said.
The incident was then upgraded to a box alarm through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) for additional mutual aid resources and manpower at the scene.
Dozens of firefighters from a slew of departments worked throughout the late evening extinguishing the fire.
A fire hydrant next to the Shell gas station and another off Green Bay Road were used to establish water supplies.
A fire ladder truck from the Pleasant Prairie Fire & Rescue Department deployed its ladder to the front of the home and doused the fire from above.
Campanella said the ladder truck played a significant role in fire suppression operations.
“It gives us a vantage from above for big fires like this to make a good stop,” Campanella said.
In total, firefighters deployed four hose lines on the ground.
Crews constantly rotated in and out throughout the operation.
The Zion Emergency Services and Disaster Agency (ESDA) provided rehabilitation and replenishment for firefighters.
Firefighters remained on scene until around 2 a.m. Saturday.
The sheriff’s office, with the assistance of its auxiliary deputy unit, shut down Green Bay Road between Route 173 and 21st Street during the incident.
Fire investigators are continuing to determine what exactly caused the blaze. A damage estimate was not available, but the house is a total loss.
No injuries were reported.
The family of the displaced residents is assisting with relief.
The Winthrop Harbor Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Zion, Beach Park, Newport Township, Waukegan, Gurnee, Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, Bristol, South Shore and Lake Forest fire departments.
Altogether, approximately 40 firefighters responded to the scene.
Campanella appreciated all the help from surrounding departments and highlighted their teamwork.
The fire chief said that his department – along with Beach Park, Newport Township, Zion and Pleasant Prairie – gets together and trains multiple times every month for these exact scenarios.
“When we all get together on an incident like this, we all run like we’re one department because of the training, policies and procedures,” Campanella said. “Not only us five departments, but our MABAS system.”
“We’re at a point now where everyone works smoothly together, which improves outcomes for people who have tragedy and loss,” Campanella added.
The chief further highlighted the importance of mutual aid in larger-scale incidents.
“Everyone depends on mutual aid. Without one another, we wouldn’t be able to do these operations,” Campanella said.
Fire officials reminded residents about the importance of working smoke detectors in saving life and property.
“The department also reminds all residents that working smoke detectors save lives and help reduce property loss. Residents are encouraged to test their smoke alarms monthly and replace batteries and alarms as recommended by the manufacturer,” the Winthrop Harbor Fire Department said.