Custer Park, Illinois – Flames tore through a large outbuilding Wednesday afternoon, sending one firefighter to the hospital and forcing crews to haul in water without hydrant access as the fire intensified within minutes.
According to the Braidwood Fire Protection District, crews were dispatched at 2:27 p.m. to a structure fire in the 22900 block of West Smiley Road. Within about a minute, additional calls pulled resources toward a separate crash involving a trapped driver, leaving mutual aid agencies to handle that incident while Braidwood crews continued to the fire.
First-arriving firefighters reported heavy fire already pushing through the roof of the outbuilding. Crews quickly escalated the response, calling for additional manpower and equipment as flames spread. With no hydrants on site, water had to be transported in, slowing suppression efforts and requiring coordinated tanker operations.
Despite the intensity of the fire, crews brought the blaze under control, and no other buildings on the property were damaged. Officials confirmed the property was occupied at the time, but no civilians were hurt.
One firefighter was transported to a hospital due to a medical issue and is expected to recover. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Braidwood Fire Protection District and the MABAS Division 15 Fire Investigation Team.
