Flames tore through a four-unit condominium building on the 4900 block of West Oakwood Drive in McHenry Wednesday morning, trapping two residents on a second-floor balcony and sending three people to the hospital before firefighters brought the blaze under control. The fire, which broke out around 9:48 a.m., left all four units uninhabitable and destroyed an attached garage along with at least four vehicles parked inside.
Firefighters arriving on scene found two people trapped on the second-floor balcony, according to officials cited by FOX 32 Chicago. Crews pulled both residents to safety and transported them to an area hospital for evaluation of smoke inhalation and distress. A third person suffered an ankle injury while evacuating the building and was also taken for treatment. Fire officials said all three sets of injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening.
Early reporting from CBS News Chicago described apparent destruction to the attached garage and at least four vehicles. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and officials have not released details on where inside the structure it began.
The Balcony Rescue
Two residents were trapped on a second-floor balcony during the fire.
The two residents rescued from the balcony were taken to a hospital for evaluation of smoke inhalation and distress. Whether working smoke detectors were present and functioning inside the McHenry units before the fire has not been addressed by officials.
State Law Sets Strict Alarm Requirements
Illinois law requires residential property owners to install operational smoke detectors within 15 feet of every room used for sleeping, according to guidance published by the City of Elgin.
The state also updated its smoke alarm standards under the Illinois Smoke Detector Act, which took effect January 1, 2023. Per the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, all newly installed battery-powered smoke alarms in Illinois homes must now use a 10-year sealed, non-replaceable battery, though alarms installed before 2023 can remain in service until they exceed a decade from manufacture or fail testing.
The Fire District's Response
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded to Wednesday's fire.
Hoodline has previously reported on other emergencies in the area handled by the district, including a fatal Fox River boat crash this past summer. No cause has yet been determined for Wednesday's condo fire, and officials have not said whether an investigation timeline has been set.
