Wauconda house left uninhabitable after fire caused by improperly discarded smoking materials

Smoking materials were to blame for a Wauconda house fire Thursday night that caused $50,000 in damage.

No injuries were reported in the blaze that was called in to the fire district at 8:40 p.m. on the 1100 block of Northshore Drive.

The fire was located on the rear exterior of the one-story, single-family home. The fire was extinguished within 10 minutes and was largely contained to the exterior thanks to a quick-acting Wauconda police officer with a fire extinguisher who arrived on scene before firefighters, fire officials said.

Due to damaged utilities, the house was rendered uninhabitable, fire officials said.