Blaze Destroys Libertyville Home
LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. (STMW) -- A fire ripped through a home in north suburban Libertyville Wednesday afternoon, causing severe damage and the closure of a major portion of a nearby street.
No one was injured and the cause of the blaze is still being determined.
Firefighters responded to a call at 3:49 p.m. for a fire burning through the roof of a home at the 300 block of Brainerd Ave. The first and second floor of the house was fully engulfed in flames, according to Fire Chief Rich Carani.
"It's pretty much a total loss. The house has got a lot of fire damage," said Carani.
He said the house is being rented and no one was inside at the time of the blaze.
Initially, Libertyville, Mundelein and Countryside fire departments responded to the scene and a first-level box alarm was called for mutual aid from several other departments including Lake Forest, Gurnee, Lincolnshire, Grayslake and Knollwood. The fire was under control in about 45 minutes.
Firefighters were given water bottles to keep cool while fighting the fire in the blazing summer heat. A portion of Brainerd from Route 176 to Church Street was closed for more than two hours after the fire.
Michele Hall of Libertyville was driving home when she witnessed the blaze.
"There were flames coming out of the roof. There is going to be a lot of smoke damage. The whole house is going to be in bad shape."
Carani said the cause of the blaze has yet to be determined. "Everything's under investigation right now," he said.
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