Early Thursday morning, tragedy struck in the parking lot of a Walmart in Crystal Lake when a vehicle caught fire, resulting in one casualty. Officials received a call around 5:40 a.m., prompting a response from both police and fire departments, as confirmed by CBS News Chicago. The car, located at 1205 S. Route 31, was reportedly fully ablaze when help arrived.
Several witnesses attempted to aid the individual trapped inside the vehicle, but, the intensity of the flames thwarted their efforts, as detailed by CBS News Chicago. After firefighters managed to extinguish the fire, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The Crystal Lake Police Department has not yet released the identity of the deceased, pending notification of next of kin.
Law enforcement is seeking information from the public. "Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call Crystal Lake police at 815-356-3620," the CBS News Chicago report stated.
For those wishing to remain anonymous, tips can be submitted by texting "CLPDTIP" along with the tip information to 847411, also known as tip411, according to WGN-TV.
