Fox Lake home damaged by fire

A residence in Fox Lake was deemed uninhabitable after a fire Monday afternoon, authorities said.

A neighbor called at 12:34 p.m. to report a "package" on fire on the second story balcony of a home on the 0-100 block of Highview Avenue, according to Fox Lake Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Brent Connelly.

Crews were on the scene within two to three minutes and found heavy smoke coming out of the roof eaves and heavy fire on the north side of the home, Connelly said.

No one was home, he said. The residence is a two-flat; the first floor was being renovated and the second floor is unoccupied, he said.

The fire was extinguished within five minutes, but the lower level suffered water damage and the upstairs suffered fire damage, he said.

The package on fire turned out to be a winter salt container, he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Round Lake Fire Department assisted in the response.