3904 PITZEN RD JOHNSBURG IL STRUCTURE FIRE

Just before noon today, the McHenry Township Fire Protection District was dispatched to the 3900 block of Pitzen Road in Johnsburg for a report of a structure fire with people trapped. While responding, the 911 Operator advised that the Johnsburg Police were on the scene confirming a ‘working fire’ and that the occupants were out of the house. On arrival, there was fire showing from the first floor of a large 2-story, single family dwelling. The house was set in a valley about 150’ off the roadway, adjacent to Pistakee Bay. This response area does not have fire hydrants, so water had to be drafted from the bay near Bald Knob marina. Initially, an aggressive fire attack took place on the interior of the building, but the strategy was changed when conditions rapidly deteriorated. Crews were forced to retreat from the inside and attack the fire from the exterior. Because of the construction features of the building, fire raced from the basement though the exterior walls into the upper floor and attic. Dozens of area departments responded to the scene, providing personnel and water to help control the fire. The crews were on scene for approximately 5 hours. There were no civilian or firefighter casualties. The house sustained substantial structural damage and is uninhabitable. The fire loss is unknown at this time. The cause of the fire had not been determined at the time of this press release and is being investigated