Local and state authorities are investigating two separate fires late Tuesday evening that left one person dead in Round Lake and three people dead in Zion.
The first incident occurred at around 10:10 p.m. Tuesday in the 1400 block of Remington Lane in Round Lake.
The Round Lake Police Department and Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District responded to a townhouse in that block for a report of a structure fire, Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Jay VandeBerg said at the scene.
Firefighters arrived to find flames coming from the second floor of the townhouse.
Crews attacked the fire and searched the building, finding one person dead on the second floor, VandeBerg said.
A dog also died in the fire.
Then, at around 11:50 p.m. the same night, police officers and firefighters rushed to the 2900 block of Enoch Avenue in Zion for a structure fire.
Emergency responders arrived to find a two-story home that was engulfed in flames.
Three residents – one man and two women – were killed, Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton said.
Another person suffered smoke inhalation and was transported to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan.
Resources from fire departments across Lake and Kenosha counties were called to the scene, including numerous ambulances.
At one point, firefighters had to exit the building and attack the fire from the exterior due to unsafe conditions.
Crews used fire ladder trucks to battle the stubborn wind-fueled fire, bringing it under control at around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.
A neighbor told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that he noticed police officers rushing to the house and heard a loud popping noise.
The neighbor looked outside to see the house in flames.
Police detectives, local fire investigators, the Illinois State Fire Marshal and the Lake County Coroner’s Office responded to both incidents and are actively investigating.
These are developing stories. Check back later for updates.