Local and state authorities are investigating after a fire broke out and caused significant damage Saturday evening to the former Regal Cinema in Round Lake Beach, which was broken into last month.
The Round Lake Beach Police Department initially responded at 8:24 p.m. Saturday to the former Regal Cinema, 550 East Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach.
A passerby reported seeing an orange glow inside the former movie theater, Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Jay VandeBerg said.
Police officers arrived and discovered light smoke inside the building.
The Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District was notified and responded to the possible structure fire, along with the Grayslake, Fox Lake and Wauconda fire departments as automatic aid.
“Our initial crews found a small fire in the building. As they were making their way through the building to check all the areas, they found additional fire in one of the theaters,” VandeBerg said.
The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to the second alarm level, which brought a total of around 20 fire departments to the scene.
Firefighters pulled hose lines into the building and brought the fire under control in around 35 minutes, VandeBerg said.
Firefighters searched the building multiple times and did not locate anyone. No one was injured.
The MABAS Division 4 Fire Investigator Task Force – which consists of investigators from numerous area fire departments – along with the Round Lake Beach Police Department and Illinois State Fire Marshal, are continuing to investigate the incident, VandeBerg said.
The cause of the fire and a damage estimate were not immediately available as the fire remains under investigation, but VandeBerg said the damage is “extensive.”
“The fire and suppression efforts severely damaged parts of the building, and the building remains shuttered,” VandeBerg said.
The Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District was assisted by the Antioch, Barrington, Countryside, Fox Lake, Grayslake, Gurnee, Lake Villa, Lake Zurich, McHenry Township, Mundelein, Newport Township and Waukegan fire departments.
In the early morning hours of March 24, police officers and firefighters responding to a fire alarm at the former movie theater discovered the building was broken into and extensively damaged.
The Regal Cinema closed in February 2023 and has remained vacant since.