Photo provided to Lake and McHenry County Scanner by Juli Ellyn.

The cause of the massive extra-alarm blaze which burned down the vacant Hackney’s restaurant in Lake Zurich has been ruled as undetermined.

The Lake Zurich Fire Department was called at 1:40 a.m. on September 9 to the old Hackney’s restaurant, which is now vacant, at 800 North Old Rand Road in Lake Zurich, for a report of a structure fire. Firefighters arrived and found the building fully involved with flames and smoke.

The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was utilized and upgraded to a 2nd alarm, which brought firefighters from Lake County, McHenry County and Cook County to the scene.

Multiple ladder trucks were setup around the fire to help extinguish it. The fire was brought under control almost two hours later. Fire crews remained at the scene spraying down the building and doing overhaul until later in the morning.

[Suggested Article]  Judge rejects request to reduce former Crystal Lake attorney's 5-year sentence for DUI crash that killed motorcyclist
Photo submitted to Lake and McHenry County Scanner.

Rand Road was closed for an extended period while crews worked at the scene. No injuries were reported.

Lake Zurich Fire Chief John Malcolm said that the cause of the fire was ruled as undetermined; however, the ruling could change.

The building was the site of the former Hackney’s restaurant, which closed in March 2017. Fire Chief Malcolm said that the fire started in the porch area of the restaurant.

No electricity was running in the vacant building at the time of the fire, and investigators are unsure of what caused the blaze. Officials are asking anyone with information to contact the Lake Zurich police department or fire department.

The Lake Zurich Fire Department was assisted by the following departments: Deerfield-Bannockburn, Countryside, Barrington, Fox River Grove, Buffalo Grove, Palatine, Knollwood, Mount Prospect, Rolling Meadows, Algonquin, Prospect Heights, Wauconda, Arlington Heights, Wheeling, Schaumburg, Grayslake, Long Grove, Cary, Libertyville, Northbrook, Nunda-Rural, Palatine-Rural and Round Lake.

[Suggested Article]  'Preyed upon young girls': Lake Zurich man sentenced for traveling to meet child for sex, possessing explicit images of children