Crystal Lake fire burns through kitchen floor, leaving residents displaced

The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department contained a structure fire at a home on the 1200 block of Alexandra Boulevard on Tuesday morning. Battalion Chief Jim Sustek stated that the blaze caused approximately $150,000 in damage and rendered the residence uninhabitable.

Dispatchers received reports of visible smoke and flames around 8:16 a.m. The call was upgraded to a working fire before the first crew arrived. A police officer confirmed black smoke at the scene, and the first unit reached the address at 8:23 a.m., seven minutes after being dispatched.

Firefighters found active fire conditions on the rear side of the two-story house. Radio traffic indicated that flames were showing from a back corner and that smoke filled the first floor. Crews stretched two hose lines, advancing one to the rear and the second through the front door to attack the fire.

Sustek said information indicated the home was unoccupied at the time of the incident. Primary and secondary searches confirmed that no one was inside. Fire department radio traffic noted that the fire had burned through the floor across the entire kitchen area at the back of the house. Crews believed the fire originated in the basement.

The fire was declared out at 8:39 a.m. The homeowner later arrived and told crews that propane tanks and gas were stored in the garage at the rear of the home. Firefighters conducted an overhaul to ensure the fire had not spread to other parts of the house. Sustek said the fire was under control at 8:47 a.m.

The City of Crystal Lake issued an alert asking drivers to avoid Alexandra Boulevard between Dogwood Drive and Swanson Road. Traffic returned to normal around 9:45 a.m. Crews contacted a board-up company to secure the home, requesting approximately a dozen sheets of plywood. No civilians or firefighters were injured.

Fire investigators from Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Cary, and Nunda are examining the scene to determine the cause. The Algonquin, Cary, McHenry, and Huntley fire departments assisted at the scene. The Woodstock, Carpentersville, and Fox River Grove fire departments covered Crystal Lake fire stations while local crews were deployed.