A woman was found deceased inside her home after a house fire with flames showing on two levels of a 2-story split level single-family residence was extinguished by firefighters in unincorporated McHenry.
McHenry County Sheriff’s deputies, and firefighters and paramedics from McHenry responded about 1:31 a.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2024 to a report from a neighbor that flames were showing from a house nearby in the block of 2800 North Magellan Drive in unincorporated McHenry — near Johnsburg and south of Pikastee Lake.
McHenry County Sheriff’s deputies on arrival reported the house was fully engulfed and that they were working to evacuate neighbors next-door as well. They initially attempted to enter the house that was burning, but the heat, flames and smoke prevented deputies from entering the home. There was also a report that there were oxygen tanks in the home.
Engine 1241’s crew on arrival and first on the scene reported active fire showing on the first floor and second floor of the house. Firefighting operations were initially an exterior attack, and later transitioned to an interior search and attack.
Firefighters were also initially unable to reach the female victim who did not escape. She was believed to be in a second-floor room above the garage.
A second resident from the home evacuated safely, but was injured and treated and released at the scene. The American Red Cross was also notified to help find shelter for the person that safely evacuated. A firefighter was also injured, but was treated at the scene, and did not initially require transportation to the hospital.
The female adult victim who did not safely evacuate was found deceased during the fire investigation phase after the interior search and interior attack. A chaplain was requested to respond to the scene about 3:30 a.m.
Fire command requested mutual aid assistance from firefighters, paramedics and command officers from nearby communities via the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) beginning about 1:45 a.m. The MABAS extra-alarm timeline is available below …
A MABAS Division 5 Box Alarm on Box #1272 was activated by 1:45 a.m.
Firefighters, paramedics and/or command officers from Crystal Lake, Fox Lake, Nunda, Richmond, Spring Grove, Wauconda, Wonder Lake, Woodstock were assigned to the scene.
Firefighters, paramedics and/or command officers from Cary, Huntley, Lake Villa, Marengo, and Round Lake were assigned to stand by at McHenry fire stations.
A MABAS Division 5 Box Alarm on Box #1252 for EMS was activated by 1:57 AM.
Firefighters, paramedics and/or command officers with a rescue squad and/or ambulances from Fox Lake, Round Lake, Richmond, Spring Grove were assigned to the scene.
Firefighters, paramedics and/or command officers from Cary, Nunda, and Woodstock were assigned to stand by at McHenry fire stations.
A MABAS Division 5 Box Alarm (Second Level) on Box #1272 was activated by 2:08 AM.
Firefighters, paramedics and/or command officers from Antioch, Fox River Grove, Hebron, Richmond, Wonder Lake, Woodstock were assigned to the scene.
Change of Quarters assignments were not announced on the Second Level Box.
A MABAS Division 5 Box Alarm on Box #1290 for a Fire Investigator Box Alarm by 2:14 AM.
Investigators from Crystal Lake, Nunda, Wauconda and Woodstock were assigned to the scene.
A MABAS Division 5 Box Alarm (Third Level) on Box #1272 by 2:41 AM (for Engines, Tenders and Squads only).
Firefighters, paramedics and/or command officers from Algonquin; Harvard; Lake Zurich; and Twin Lakes, Wisconsin were assigned to the scene.
Change of Quarters assignments were not announced on the Third Level Box.
The EMS Box Alarm was struck out by 3:17 a.m.
The fire Box Alarm was struck out by 3:40 a.m.
The fire investigation is continuing with the combined efforts of Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, MABAS Division 5 investigators, and McHenry Township Fire Protection District investigators.
The identity of the deceased woman was not initially released pending notification of family members.
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