No one was harmed after heavy flames and smoke erupted from a house near Antioch, causing significant damage and prompting a multi-fire department response Thursday afternoon.
The Antioch Fire Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 1:26 p.m. Thursday to the 23300 block of West Lakeshore Drive in unincorporated Antioch for a report of a structure fire.
Antioch Fire Department Lt. Michael Kueber said firefighters arrived within five minutes and found a single-story home with an active fire. One resident was home and self-evacuated.
There was smoke showing from the home initially and then heavy flames with low visibility inside the home.
Fire crews began conducting an offensive fire attack by pulling hose lines into the home to extinguish the fire, Kueber said.
Firefighters brought the fire under control in approximately 45 minutes. The fire was contained to the home of origin.
Additional firefighters worked to perform overhaul operations and check for fire extension in the home.
Kueber said no residents or firefighters were injured.
The Fox Lake, Lake Villa, Round Lake, Spring Grove and Salem, Wisconsin, fire departments responded to the scene to assist.
Fire investigators from the Newport, Fox Lake and Round Lake fire departments also responded, Kueber said.
The residents were left homeless after the home was declared uninhabitable due to the extent of damage.
Fire officials said the incident was a first of some sort for several of the crew members on duty on black shift, including two firefighters who experienced their first fire.
“The fire was upgraded to a Working Fire bringing in extra units to cover our district while we worked to contain this incident to ensure uninterrupted coverage to all. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all of our mutual aid partners who responded and assisted on scene,” the fire district said.
“Great job by all the crews today especially under these weather conditions,” the district added.
The American Red Cross was notified to assist the occupants. Utility companies responded to mitigate the gas and electricity.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Antioch Fire Department.