Garage destroyed, residents displaced in McHenry fire

A garage was destroyed and a house was left uninhabitable after a fire Thursday morning in northwest suburban McHenry.

Firefighters were called to a fire in the 28000 block of North Lakeview Circle in unincorporated McHenry at 10:15 a.m., according to a statement from the Wauconda Fire District. They arrived to find heavy fire coming from a garage attached to a one-story house.

A passerby had seen smoke and fire in the garage and alerted the three occupants of the house, who were all able to get outside, fire officials said. A man in the home had a preexisting medical condition and was taken to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington as a precaution.

The fire was contained to the garage, which officials described as “a total loss.” A motorcycle and another vehicle in the garage were also destroyed.

The house sustained smoke and water damage and was rendered uninhabitable, according the fire district. The American Red Cross arranged for temporary housing, clothing and food for the residents.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation as of Friday morning, officials said.