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The Barrington Countryside FPD responded to a house fire early this morning (5/3/18) at 83 Paganica Drive in Barrington Hills. A header was visible as units were en route and they found heavy fire from the second floor and mansard roof upon arrival. The resident had evacuated the house. The area is without hydrants.  The first engine and tanker pulled into the driveway with 4,000 gallons of water as the second engine dropped a line to the end of the street to initiate a drafting operation from three portable tanks. Fourteen tankers shuttled water for over two hours to supply several hand lines that were operating. The house sustained heavy damage and the fire’s origin is believed to be a lightning strike.

Larry Shapiro photo 

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Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

Lightning may be to blame for a fire that tore through a nearly 9,000-square-foot Barrington Hills home after violent storms pushed through the region early Thursday morning. Firefighters from the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District and about 20 other departments spent roughly two hours getting the fire on Paganica Drive under control.

Neighbors reported hearing a loud boom during the night, before firefighters well called to the scene at about 4:40 a.m., when the homeowner spotted flames. While most of the damage occurred to the roof, the house was left uninhabitable by the fire.

Because the neighborhood has no fire hydrants, firefighters set up a rural fire operation which involved bringing water to the scene in tenders. At no time was water supply lost, according to the fire district.