Lake Forest firefighters responded to a reported basement fire Tuesday afternoon at 180 W. Laurel Avenue. The first arriving unit reported nothing showing from the outside, but found smoke upon entering the large house. Within roughly 9 minutes, the alarm was upgraded to a working still alarm, a MABAS Box Alarm, and then a 2nd Alarm as smoke began escaping from the eaves.

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

There was a hydrant at the end of the long, curvy driveway. The first-due Lake Forest engine and the Knollwood quint both made the driveway … with some difficulty. Fire was located in the void space beneath the first floor and then in some walls on the second floor.

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

The alarm was upgraded to a 3rd Alarm for additional companies to standby in the event that the fire got away from the companies working inside. The fire was contained before long without doing extensive damage to the structure of the house. Temperatures were hovering just above 0 with a negative windchill.

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro and Tim Olk took it in.

Lake Bluff squad. Larry Shapiro photo

Apparatus lined the narrow street. Larry Shapiro photo

Companies at the scene were:

• Lake Forest with two engines, an ambulance, a tower ladder, and chief officers
• Knollwood with a quint
• Highwood with a quint
• Mundelein with an engine
• Lake Bluff with an engine
• Libertyville with an engine
• Beach Park with an engine
• Highland Park with an engine
• Grayslake with an engine
• Lake Villa with an engine
• Wauconda with an engine
• Round Lake with an engine
• Countryside with a truck and a chief
• Gurnee with a truck
• Great Lakes with a truck
• Fox Lake with a squad
• Lincolnshire with an ambulance, squad and chief
• Northbrook with an ambulance
• Long Grove with an ambulance
• Barrington Countryside with an ambulance
• Quad 2 Mobile Command Post
• Deerfield chief

Beach Park Engine 1222. Larry Shapiro photo

Round Lake Engine 262. Larry Shapiro photo

Great Lakes Truck 1931. Larry Shapiro photo

The complete set of Larry’s images will be posted soon to his site.

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