Prospect Heights firefighters Assist Wheeling with 3 Homes On Fire
By Fire Chief Drew Smith
July 11, 2020
Just after 3:45 p.m. on Friday Prospect Heights firefighters responded to Wheeling for a reported fire with children trapped in the Whippletree Village community off Old McHenry Road. On arrival it was learned the children were safe but now three manufactured homes were on fire. Prospect Heights’ firefighters operated hoses to extinguish the fires. Besides Prospect Heights and Wheeling firefighters, several other area fire departments assisted at the blaze. With three homes on fire and the hot weather many firefighters were needed. Wheeling used the 50-year old Mutual Aid Box Alarm System – MABAS – to quickly obtain the needed assistance. All three homes were severely damaged. It took more than one hour to achieve full extinguishment.
The east side home (exposure, in firefighter terms) sustain damage.
The center home was the first to catch fire.
Homes immediately to its east and west ignited from the radiant heat prior to the arrival of the fire department.
Immediately after leaving the Camp McDonald Road firehouse smoke could be seen more than three miles away.
