1 cat rescued, 1 killed in Christmas Day house fire in Wauconda

A two-story home went up in flames early Christmas Day in north suburban Wauconda.

Firefighters responded at 7:13 a.m. and found smoke billowing from the roof, according to the Wauconda Fire District.

While the residents were not home, two pet cats were inside the house when it caught fire at 7:13 a.m. at 520 West Brown Street, the fire district said.

One of the cats was rescued unharmed and reunited with its owner, while the other was found dead from causes related to the fire, the fire district said.

Fire officials said the blaze began in the family room on the first floor and may have been caused by candles that were left burning, the fire district said. The cause was still being investigated.

The home sustained an estimated $80,000 in damage and was deemed uninhabitable, the fire district said.