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Officials: One hurt, 20 displaced by Lake in the Hills fire

An overnight condominium building fire in Lake in the Hills is likely accidental, officials said Wednesday.

"We don't think it's suspicious," said Peter Van Dorpe, assistant chief with the Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District.

Firefighters were called to the blaze on the 1300 block of Cunat Court around midnight Wednesday for a fire on the porch of a third-story unit. Flames damaged 18 condo units and left one resident hurt and about 20 people displaced, authorities said.

Fire was found on the roof and porches on the second and third floors, and it was starting to work inside the structure, Van Dorpe said.

Four condos were destroyed; most of the building's tenants are renters, Van Dorpe said.

"Red Cross has provided assistance for three families that we know of," he said. "Most of the other people have found friends and relatives. Nobody is going to be able to occupy the building anytime soon. It's going to be months. About a quarter of the roof burned away."

Van Dorpe said one resident was injured in the fire and taken to Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin for treatment; the resident was listed as stable Wednesday morning, Van Dorpe said.

No firefighters were hurt, and the fire remains under investigation.

Firefighters from Carpentersville, Crystal Lake, Fox River Grove, Huntley, Cary, West Dundee, Marengo, Wauconda, Elgin, McHenry, Rutland Dundee, Barrington-Countryside, Fox Lake, and Nunda Rural fire departments assisted.

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