Wauconda area fire does $200,000 damage, kills cat

A home in unincorporated Lake County near Wauconda suffered an estimated $200,000 in damages in a fire early Saturday morning that killed a cat.

The Wauconda Fire District responded at 3:46 a.m. to a report of a fire in the basement of a single-family home in the 26800 block of North Genesee Street.

First responders called for additional assistance; the home is in an area without fire hydrants and water had to be trucked in, according to a news release. Eighteen fire departments assisted either at the scene or in providing backup coverage at the fire station.

Six people inside the house made it out before firefighters arrived. The fire was brought under control in about 45 minutes. Preliminary investigation indicates the fire started in a bedroom in the east end of the basement, but the cause is still under investigation, the release said. The house is uninhabitable; the Red Cross is working with the occupants on finding shelter.