Early morning fire in Crystal Lake leaves home uninhabitable

After smelling smoke early Friday morning, Crystal Lake residents discovered a fire in their home's attached garage, fire officials said.

They escaped the home and called 911, said the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department, which responded at 4:19 a.m. to 209 Briarwood Road. They also found smoke coming from the eaves of the single-story, single-family home.

The fire had spread into the attic area of the garage but did not spread into the living area of the home, according to a news release. The fire was declared under control at 4:47 a.m.

The living area sustained some smoke damage and was deemed uninhabitable until repairs could be made, the fire department said. The American Red Cross is assisting the seven occupants with shelter.

Damage to the structure and contents is estimated at $40,000. No injuries were reported to any firefighters.

The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department was assisted by several area fire departments, and the cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation by Crystal Lake Fire Rescue investigators, according to the release.