A midday house fire in unincorporated Spring Grove turned deadly Friday, killing an 83-year-old woman and leaving a 55-year-old woman in critical condition, authorities said. The blaze broke out around noon at a single-family home in the 38300 block of North 6th Avenue, where a resident tried to pull both women to safety before firefighters arrived. Crews ultimately removed the two women from the home. The 83-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, and the 55-year-old was taken to a local hospital, then later transferred to a burn unit. The 52-year-old man who attempted the rescue suffered only minor injuries.
According to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office, deputies and the Fox Lake Fire Protection District were dispatched after 911 callers reported heavy smoke pouring from the front of the house around noon. The sheriff's office said the 52-year-old resident, who was on the second floor, tried to rescue the 83-year-old woman and the 55-year-old woman but was driven back by intense heat and smoke. Fire investigators from the sheriff's office are working with the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office to determine how and where the fire started.
Rescues, Smoke, and Heavy Damage
Firefighters were able to pull both women out of the burning home, but the 83-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 55-year-old was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville and later transferred to a burn hospital, according to NBC Chicago. Video from the scene showed thick smoke and flames chewing across much of the home's exterior as crews battled the blaze. Officials said the resident who tried to rescue the women escaped out the back of the house and suffered only minor injuries.
Massive Mutual-Aid Response
Fox Lake Fire Chief Ed Lescher told local reporters that arriving crews found the house "totally engulfed in fire" and that a box alarm brought in mutual aid from more than a dozen neighboring departments, according to Shaw Local. The response included units from Fox Lake, Spring Grove, Antioch, Lake Villa, and several other nearby departments. It took a couple of hours to fully knock down the flames, which left the Lotus Woods neighborhood home heavily damaged.
Investigation and Coroner Response
The Lake County Coroner's Office responded to the scene, and an autopsy is being scheduled for the 83-year-old woman, according to the sheriff's release. Fire investigators with the sheriff's office continue to work alongside the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office and local fire officials as they comb through the debris for clues about the fire's origin and cause.
What Officials and Neighbors Say
Local reporting notes that neighbors in the Lotus Woods area called 911 after noticing smoke and that photos from the scene show significant structural damage to the house, per the Daily Herald. Authorities have not yet publicly released the victims' names as next-of-kin notifications, and the investigation continues. This story will be updated as officials share more details.
