Firefighter Suffers Second Degree Burns in an Unoccupied, Illinois Home Blaze
On Friday, March 19, 2004, at around 2 AM, a woman on Kinnikinnick Drive in Roscoe, Illinois called 911 to report the house next door was on fire with flames shooting above the tree line. Harlem-Roscoe Fire dispatched trucks from all three of their fire stations.
Harlem-Roscoe Fire Chief Oscar Presley arrived first on scene and reported a large home with exposed basement fully involved with fire with the parts of the roof already gone. Neighbors reported that no one was currently living at the home.
With no hydrants in the area, the Chief called for mutual aid for tankers. Besides the department's two 3,000 gallon supertankers that arrived quickly on scene, tankers arrived from neighboring Cherry Valley Fire, North Boone Fire #3, North Park Fire, Rockton Fire, Shirland Fire, South Beloit Fire, and Northwest Fire.
Firefighters fought the intense fire for over an hour and were on scene until daylight putting out hot spots. One firefighter received second degree burns on his forehead and ear.
Harlem-Roscoe Fire Investigators and the Illinois State Fire Marshalls Office Fire Investigator investigated the scene until around noon and were assisted by Winnebago County Sherrif's officers and City of Beloit K-9 Handler Keith Lynn and Molly. Harlem-Roscoe Fire Investigator Captain Mike Drost reports that the building and contents loss to be over $200,000. The fire is under investigation and the cause is undetermined at this time.
