The coroner has released the identity of a 52-year-old man who died after he was rescued from a fire that caused significant damage to a condominium in Fox Lake Monday morning.
The Fox Lake Fire Protection District and Fox Lake Police Department responded around 7:12 a.m. Monday to the 0-100 block of St. Thomas Colony Street in Fox Lake for a report of a structure fire.
A person who was at the location at Vacation Village called 911 to report the fire, according to Fox Lake Deputy Fire Chief Sam Santiago.
Firefighters arrived and encountered an active fire with smoke showing from the end unit of a two-story, multi-family dwelling.
Santiago said additional crews arrived and firefighters began working to search the building and pull hose lines to extinguish the fire.
Firefighters located an adult male victim who was inside the condominium unit that was on fire.
McHenry County Coroner Dr. Michael Rein identified him on Thursday as Jason Binzel, 52, of Fox Lake.
Firefighters rescued Binzel and brought him to paramedics. He was transported to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry in critical condition, Santiago said.
Fox Lake Police Department Sgt. Rick Howell said Binzel was pronounced dead at the hospital. He lived in the home where the fire occurred.
The McHenry County Coroner’s Office responded to the hospital and conducted an autopsy on Tuesday on Binzel.
Rein said there are no preliminary findings yet and toxicology results are pending.
A second person was evaluated by paramedics at the scene but was not transported to the hospital.
The fire was quickly contained to the room of origin within 10-15 minutes.
Santiago said firefighters remained on the scene for a while longer as they conducted overhaul operations and removed heavy smoke that affected the second floor of the home and adjacent units.
The fire originated in the kitchen on the first floor of the unit but it is unclear yet what may have caused it.
The Fox Lake Building Department responded and initially deemed the condominium building, which contains six units, uninhabitable, Santiago said.
Howell said the building was later deemed safe for surrounding residents to return to their units but the unit where the fire originated sustained significant damage and is uninhabitable.
Fire investigators from throughout the area responded to the scene along with the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal.
Firefighters remained on the scene for approximately three hours.