This from Tyler Tobolt:
Crystal Lake Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire at 3217 Carrington Drive around 3:20pm . Engine 341 reported a very large header when responding, and with that information Crystal Lake Battalion Chief 330 requested a 2nd Alarm on Box Card #5-371. Shortly thereafter, Engine 341 arrived to find a 2-story home fully involved in all divisions and they went defensive mode. Within minutes Battalion 330 arrived and requested Tender Box #5-371 to the 5th alarm, and after requesting the tanker box he went on Engine Box #5-341 and upgraded that to the 5th Alarm also. Later they requested a MABAS Division 4 Interdivisional Box alarm for more crews. The main fire building was a 2-story 50 X 50 home which extended to three other houses. They also had a few small brush fires in the area due to embers. The main fire building did collapse. More Photos Here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.556844084338733.1073741834.228548690501609&type=1Thanks, Tyler
Header seen from a distance. Tyler Tobolt photo
View from the street well into the fire. Tyler Tobolt photo
Union FPD tender. Tyler Tobolt photo
Harvard FPD tender. Tyler Tobolt photo
Engines drafting and pumping in the A Sector. Tyler Tobolt photo
Firefighters on a line in the driveway. Tyler Tobolt photo
Fire continues to burn well after the roof collapsed. Tyler Tobolt photo
Most of the structure has collapsed. Tyler Tobolt photo
Water tenders in line, waiting to dump their tanks. Tyler Tobolt photo
From the Northwest Herald:
CRYSTAL LAKE – Two firefighters are being treated for injuries after four houses caught fire this afternoon in a subdivision near Crystal Lake.
One house is still on fire on the 3200 block of Carrington Drive. Firefighters are proceeding with caution because of a ruptured gas line, Crystal Lake Battalion Chief Chris Olsen said.
Firefighters had not extinguished the fire the because of concerns over fumes from a ruptured gas line, Olsen said.
Nicor has just arrived on the scene to shut off the gas, at which point firefighters will be able to completely put out the fire, Olsen said.
Olsen said he didn’t believe the gas line was the cause of the blaze, and added firefighters have yet to determine why it started.
Residents who were inside the homes when the fires erupted were able to escape without injury. Olsen said the firefighters’ heat-related injuries are believed to be minor. The two firefighters were taken to Centegra Hospital-McHenry.
The affected houses include one that has already burned to the ground. The fire originated at 3217 Carrington Drive sometime after 3:30 p.m. After the blaze started, wind blew embers across the street leading to neighboring houses to catch fire.
Several area fire departments and the Red Cross were called to the scene to assist.
Terra Cotta Avenue and Valley View Road from Park Drive to Crystal Lake Avenue are closed because of the fire.
