A 4-year-old boy died after firefighters rescued him from a fire that heavily engulfed a house in flames and smoke in Mundelein early Monday morning.
The Mundelein Police Department and Mundelein Fire Department responded around 12:20 a.m. Monday to the 200 block of Dalton Avenue in Mundelein for a report of a structure fire.
Dispatchers received a report of a 4-year-old child who was still inside the house.
The 911 caller reported the child was still inside a bedroom, according to fire department radio traffic.
Police officers quickly arrived and reported that the house was fully engulfed in flames.
Firefighters arrived and reported finding heavy flames and smoke showing from the single-story, single-family residence.
The incident was upgraded through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) to the box alarm level for additional fire departments to respond. The incident was eventually upgraded to the second alarm level.
A MABAS box alarm was also requested for fire investigators to respond from throughout Lake County and McHenry County.
Mundelein Deputy Fire Chief Jeremy Lockwood said the child was found by firefighters in the basement. He was brought outside to paramedics.
Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Newton said the 4-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
The coroner’s office responded to the scene and took possession of the child for an autopsy, which is scheduled for Monday.
Newton said the child lived in the home with another family member.
Lockwood said other people who were in the home tried to re-enter to rescue the boy but were unable to due to the heavy smoke and fire.
The Office of the Illinois Fire Marshal was also called to the scene to assist in the investigation.
Crime scene tape was set up around the home as fire investigators, many with “arson” insignia on their uniforms, worked at the scene.
A witness reported that numerous police canines from several Lake County police departments, as well as drones, were searching the area.
The cause of the fire is actively under investigation by the Mundelein Fire Department, Mundelein Police Department, Office of the Illinois Fire Marshal and other area fire departments.
The Mundelein Fire Department has not released further information on the fire or said whether the fire is believed to be suspicious in nature. The department said they expect to have information released later Monday morning.