A Third Lake man was charged in connection with an arson fire at a Zion apartment building that left two people hospitalized.
Joshua J. Edwards, 29, of the 1-99 block of Coral Reef Court in Third Lake, was charged with one count of aggravated arson, a Class X felony.
A criminal complaint filed in Lake County Circuit Court alleges Edwards committed arson by starting a fire that damaged a building in the 4200 block of Maple Lane in Zion.
The complaint said that Edwards should have reasonably known people were present in the building when he set the fire on August 7, 2020.
A fire department incident report, obtained by a Freedom of Information Act request, shows the Zion Fire Rescue Department received a call of a fire alarm at the apartment building.
People inside the building called 911 and reported smoke inside.
Firefighters arrived to find the occupants had used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire, which was on the second floor.
Investigators determined the fire was started on the carpet in front of an apartment door, according to the report. The fire burned part of the door and some of the carpet inside the apartment.
Occupants of other apartment units told investigators they heard the fire alarms, saw the flames, smelled gasoline and then used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, the report said.
Two subjects were transported by ambulance to a local hospital to be evaluated.
An arrest warrant was issued for Edwards on October 15 and officers with the Lake Zurich Police Department arrested him in late October, court documents show.
Lake County Judge Christopher Morozin ordered Edwards held on a $250,000 bond.
Edwards, who remains held in the Lake County Jail, would have to post $25,000 cash in order to be released.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 29.