A photograph of firefighters folding an American flag outside a fire-damaged Libertyville home turned heads on social media Wednesday.
The scene unfolded Tuesday — just one day after Americans celebrated the country's independence — when a fire started at a house in the 500 block of Fairhill Road about 2 p.m., Libertyville Fire Lt. Greg Gratz said.
Outside the home, Grayslake firefighter/paramedics Mike Higgins, Ian Mandigo and Ryan Schaefer removed a flag from the front of the home.
Countryside Fire Protection District Chief Jeff Steingart told the men — all members of the Rapid Intervention Team on scene in case someone gets trapped or injured fighting the fire — to take down a flag because it was in the way, Higgins said. "It was right at the front door, and that was the main ingress and egress for the firefighters," Higgins said.