Crystal Lake Fire Demolishes Home, 3 Firefighters Hurt
CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (CBS) -- A house in Crystal Lake was completely destroyed in a fire Wednesday afternoon, and three firefighters suffered heat-related injuries while fighting the blaze, which spread to four neighboring homes.
Officials said the fire started about 2:30 p.m. in a home in the 3200 block of Carrington Drive. The house was completely leveled by the blaze, leaving only part of a brick wall and a chimney standing.
Officials said the fire also spread to four neighboring homes, and two firefighters suffered heat-related injuries while working to put out the fire.
Scott and Justin were skating past the home when they say they first saw fire under the deck.
"It was fast. In five minutes half the house was burning," said Scott.
"We saw things burning under there, and then we went to the front door," said Justin.
When they knocked on the door, Scott said, "'What's happening?' And she looked around and ran."
Firefighters confirm an 18-year-old did escape and not a moment too soon.
The blaze consumed just about everything, leaving only bricks behind a the house fully engulfed when firefighters arrived
"The radiant heat coupled with 25-mile-an-hour winds out of the south blew everything, embers and radiant heat across the road causing damage to four other structures," said Crystal Lake Battalion Chief Chris Olsen.
A Nicor spokesperson said there was no gas explosion involved, only a fire, but the flames were so intense at one point they melted a gas meter. The utility was called in to shut off leaking gas from the home, as well as to shut off gas service to two neighboring homes that caught fire.
