A 56-year-old man who died after he was rescued from a house fire in Fox Lake Thursday morning was found hanging when firefighters located him, the coroner said.
The Fox Lake Fire Protection District and Fox Lake Police Department responded around 7:38 a.m. Thursday to the 200 block of Lippincott Lane in Fox Lake for a report of a structure fire.
A neighbor had spotted the fire and called 911.
Firefighters arrived within three minutes and found heavy smoke showing from the roof of the single-story residence, according to Fox Lake Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Larry VanHoorelbeke.
A walkaround of the residence was conducted and crews found heavy flames in the rear of the home.
It was reported that one person was trapped inside the home, VanHoorelbeke said.
Firefighters pulled hose lines and began conducting a search of the residence.
VanHoorelbeke said crews made entry to the home and encountered heavy smoke and high heat conditions.
A primary search resulted in firefighters finding a male subject unresponsive in the basement.
He was pronounced dead at the scene after being brought out to an awaiting ambulance, VanHoorelbeke said.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said Friday the man was identified as David Grenell, 56, of Fox Lake.
Banek said Grenell was found in the basement and appeared to have hung himself.
An autopsy performed showed that Grenell died as a result of asphyxia due to hanging.
“Based on the scene investigation it appears that this is consistent with being self-inflicted,” Banek said.
Heavy flames could be seen coming out of the roof of the home and firefighters worked for approximately an hour to get the fire under control.
The fire started possibly in the living room and spread to the attic, VanHoorelbeke said.
No firefighters were injured and the male victim rescued was the only person home.
Multiple area fire departments, including Spring Grove, Wauconda, Round Lake, Lake Villa and Antioch, were called to the scene, VanHoorelbeke said.
Fire investigators also responded to conduct an investigation.
Fox Lake Police Chief Dawn DeServi declined to say whether the fire appeared to have been intentionally started and deferred comment to the fire department.
DeServi said there is no risk to the community and she called the incident “completely isolated.”
Officials with the Fox Lake Fire Protection District said Friday morning that the cause of the fire was still under investigation.
VanHoorelbeke said the home sustained significant damage and was deemed uninhabitable. Damage was estimated at more than $200,000.