This from Larry Shapiro:
Lightning is possibly to blame for starting a house on fire at 26770 Longmeadow Circle in unincorporated Mundelein. The Countryside FPD received calls reporting black smoke from the front of the house around 12:30PM on Wednesday at what was a lull between heavy thunderstorms on the area. First arriving units found the homeowners outside and confirmed a structure fire. The alarm was quickly elevated to a MABAS Box Alarm which brought tankers (tenders) to the scene in addition to engines and trucks. Within the next 10 minutes a 2nd Alarm was requested sending additional units to the scene. Two Countryside units had lines off and the tower ladder deployed a master stream. The tankers were precautionary and though Long Grove Tanker 55 dropped a supply to Countryside’s engine, none of the other tankers were utilized.
After the bulk of the fire was knocked down, the area was pelted with another severe thunderstorm. By 2:30 most mutual aid companies had been released from the scene though there was still quite a bit of overhaul and salvage work. Companies came from Mundelein, Long Grove, Wauconda, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Lake Villa, Buffalo Grove, Grayslake, Round Lake, Fox Lake, Wheeling, Gurnee, Knollwood, Lake Forest, and Lake Zurich.
Here are some images and a short video from the scene.
![Countryside FPD](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6658A.jpg)
Rear of new hose wagon. Larry Shapiro photo
![MESS Canteen Service](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6648A.jpg)
MESS Canteen Service on the scene. Larry Shapiro photo
![female firefighter on a line](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6638A.jpg)
Knollwood firefighters on a line. Larry Shapiro photo
![Knollwood fire lieutenant](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6625A.jpg)
Knollwood lieutenant overhauling soffits in the rear. Larry Shapiro photo
![fire engine with hose](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6601A.jpg)
Countryside engine with supply and attack lines. Larry Shapiro photo
![firefighters with hose line](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6597A.jpg)
Gurnee firefighters on a line hitting hot spots. Larry Shapiro photo
![house burns after lightning strike](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6574A.jpg)
Elevated master stream directed into the structure. Larry Shapiro photo
![firefighters recover possessions](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6552A.jpg)
Firefighters salvage items from the house. Larry Shapiro photo
![Rosenbauer Timberwolf engine](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6514-5A.jpg)
Countryside interface engine supplying the tower and several hand lines. Larry Shapiro photo
![Countryside FPD pumper tanker 411](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6482A.jpg)
Countryside FPD tanker 411 supplying foam to hand lines. Larry Shapiro photo
![fire department hose wagon](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6474A.jpg)
New Countryside hose wagon. Larry Shapiro photo
![house fire Countryside FPD](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6468A.jpg)
Rear of the house. Larry Shapiro photo
![house burns after lightning strike](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6462A.jpg)
The roof came in on the south end of the house. Larry Shapiro photo
![panorama of fire trucks at house fire](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6448-61A.jpg)
Panoramic view of the house from the street. Larry Shapiro photo
![Countryside FPD](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6443-4A.jpg)
Countryside Tower Ladder 412 flows a master stream. Larry Shapiro photo
![house burns after lightning strike](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6435A.jpg)
View from the front of the house. Larry Shapiro photo
![fireman at fire scene](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6418A.jpg)
A Long Grove firefighter stretches a supply line from Tanker 55. Larry Shapiro photo
![Countyrside FPD apparatus](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-6416A.jpg)
Another view of the Countryside units on the street in front of the house. Larry Shapiro photo
![Rosenbauer America Raptor tower ladder at fire scene](http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/130417_CTYD-642-45A.jpg)
Countryside Engine supplies the tower ladder. Larry Shapiro photo
A gallery with more images will be posted HERE.
#1 by Scott on April 18, 2013 - 12:22 PM
Nice shots! Is a “METZ” really a tower ladder??? LOL