Fire guts restaurant in Fox River Grove

Bright orange flames lit up the night sky as fire consumed the Five O'Clock Steakhouse restaurant in Fox River Grove early Sunday morning.

Fox River Grove firefighters responded to a call at 3:35 a.m. only to find the building at 1050 E. Northwest Highway already engulfed.

"The fire had a head start before we arrived," said Fox River Grove Chief Robert Kreher. "We responded within four minutes of the call, but flames were already through the roof."

Kreher said crews from his department along with help from the Cary, Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Barrington, Lake Zurich, Lakewood, McHenry, Nunda, Palatine Rural and Wauconda fire departments worked the scene until at least 7 a.m. The building was completely destroyed, Kreher said.

The steakhouse offered American cuisine including chops, steaks, shrimp and 20 different kinds of martinis, according to its Web site.

No one was injured in the fire, and the cause is still under investigation. Kreher said officials from the state fire marshal's office will be on the scene Monday to try and figure out how the fire started.