The Countryside FPD (IL) received a call reporting a basement fire with explosions at 4 Keuka Court in Hawthorn Woods Saturday night (5/20/17). The homeowner stated that there were model cars with batteries in the basement which might have explained the explosive sounds. Firefighters arrived to light colored smoke escaping from the house.
The working fire was upgraded to a Full Still and the a Box Alarm for change of quarters companies only. Interior companies had difficulty locating the seat of the fire within the basement and the need for more substantial water supply required an upgrade to a Box Alarm for tenders.
As the fire grew in intensity and compromised a section of the first floor, all crews were ordered out of the building as the tactics changed to a defensive attack. The alarm was upgraded to a 2nd Alarm roughly 35 minutes into the incident.
![fire engine lights up fire scene at night](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5653A-600x400.jpg)
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![firefighters at house fire](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5655A-600x400.jpg)
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![smoke pushes from house on fire](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5668A-600x400.jpg)
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![firefighters at house fire](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5673A-600x400.jpg)
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![fire engine at fire scene with hose lines](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5677A-600x400.jpg)
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![fire engine engulfed in smoke at night](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5682A-600x400.jpg)
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![firefighters at house fire](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5686A-600x400.jpg)
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![silhouette of fire engine at night](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5692A-600x400.jpg)
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![firefighters at house fire](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5702A-600x400.jpg)
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![smoke pushes from house on fire](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5710A-600x400.jpg)
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![firefighter at house fire](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5717A-600x400.jpg)
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![firefighters at house fire](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5718A-600x400.jpg)
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![firefighter using TIC at fire scene](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5723A-600x400.jpg)
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![Mundelein FD fire engine](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5758A-600x400.jpg)
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![rural water supply at fire scene](https://firescenes.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/170520_CTYD-5770A-600x400.jpg)
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