Fox Lake snow plow driver hailed as hero

A snowplow driver in Fox Lake is being credited for alerting a homeowner that his garage was on fire late Tuesday night.

Curt Cusker, who works for the village of Fox Lake, noticed a fire inside a three-car garage on the 100 block of Eagle Point Road at about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, said Fox Lake Fire Battalion Chief Tom Preidis.

The garage was not attached to the house, Preidis said, but smoke from the fire was blowing toward the structure and could have been dangerous.

"The homeowner was in some danger due to the smoke and the fire inside," Preidis said.

Preidis said Cusker, a retired member of the Fox Lake Fire Department, ran up to the house and knocked on the door, waking up a person inside.

He then escorted the man outside of the home and called the fire department.

"Curt got back into his plow after (the fire department) arrived on the scene and finished his route," Preidis said. Flames were showing from the garage when units arrived on the scene, Preidis said. The fire was under control within 30 minutes, he added.

The three-car loft garage was destroyed, Preidis said. A damage estimate was not available Wednesday morning.

Preidis added the fire remains under investigation.