Fire forces out Holiday Hills residents, spares Christmas presents

McHenry fire officials successfully fought a blaze in Holiday Hills Sunday morning.

Officials said the family and the dog were uninjured but will have to spend the night in temporary lodgings.

Still, the Christmas presents were saved.

McHenry firefighters were called about 7:30 a.m. to a single-family home on the 2400 block of South Hyde Park Avenue in Holiday Hills.

McHenry Township Fire Protection District Lt. Tom Ruggero said it took about 20 to 25 minutes to get the blaze under control.

“There was a lot of smoke and flame to the rear of the building when we got there.”

He said the home sustained extensive damage.

“(The family) is not moving back any time soon,” Ruggero said.

Ruggero said the Salvation Army and Red Cross were on the scene, and the family was able to obtain temporary housing. He said three people were evacuated.

“We did get all their Christmas presents out,” Ruggero said. “They were a little bit damp.”

He said a second alarm was utilized because of uncertainty about the water supply, but it turned out that the extra tankers were not needed.