2-Alarm fire in Sycamore, 7-27-19 (more)

This is a firsthand account from Eric Haak:

The Sycamore, Illinois Fire Department was dispatched at 5:40 p.m. on Saturday, July 27th, to a balcony fire at the St. Albans Greens Apartment Complex. Initial photos taken by residents showed what appeared to be a small fire in the corner of a second-floor balcony on the "C" side of the U-shaped building. When the incident commander arrived, heavy smoke was already coming from the rear, and the fire had spread into the attic. The situation was contained upon arrival, and an aggressive interior attack was launched. However, shortly after 6:00 p.m., the crews shifted to a defensive position.

The front section of the building measured 250 feet by 60 feet, with 150-foot by 60-foot wings extending on each side. The nearest fire hydrant was over 400 feet away, which likely impacted water supply operations. I arrived more than an hour and a half after the initial call. All of the following details are based on my personal observations and should not be considered an official report from any department.