A resident remains unaccounted, but a body was found in rubble, after an explosion destroyed a house Tuesday night in unincorporated Lake Zurich in the Forest Lake community (Mugo Odigwe/CBS Chicago). YouTube Tips ⓘ
The Lake County Coroner’s Office announced Friday evening, June 7, 2024, that the deceased found after a house explosion has now been identified as 77-year-old Timothy Toczylowski, of unincorporated Lake Zurich. He was the resident of the destroyed home. Identification was completed this evening by the Lake County Coroner’s Office Forensic Odontologist, who conducted a dental examination and compared it with the deceased’s dental records.
On Wednesday, June 5, 2024, an autopsy was conducted at the Lake County Coroner’s Office. Autopsy results indicate that the deceased had injuries consistent with inhalation of products of combustion, however toxicology testing (including carbon monoxide testing) is pending.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by Lake County Sheriff’s Office Fire Investigators, Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District, and Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal.
Earlier Report
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday morning that the body of an adult male was recovered from the rubble of a destroyed after a home explosion occurred last night in the block of 23500 North Overhill Road, unincorporated Lake Zurich (Forest Lake).
Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies, Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District, and multiple other fire departments responded about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, 2024 to a report of an explosion and fire on North Overhill Road. When responding units arrived, they found a home completely leveled, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
The homeowner, a 77-year-old man, was unaccounted for following the explosion, and the body of an adult man was recovered from the rubble. The victim that was recovered in the rubble was not initially identified.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office is scheduling an autopsy.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by Lake County Sheriff’s Office Fire Investigators, Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District, and Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal.
Investigators were called back to the scene to resume the investigation of the fire about 8:36 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Explosion and house fire in unincorporated Lake Zurich (Forest Lake) in Ela Township in Lake County, Illinois on Tuesday night, June 4, 2024 (CBS Chicago). YouTube Tips ⓘ
INITIAL REPORT …
Police, firefighters and paramedics from Lake Zurich responded about 8:29 p.m., Tuesday, June 4, 2024 to a report that a house exploded and was fully engulfed with flames in the block of 23500 North Overhill Drive in Lake Zurich. Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were also on the scene.
A fire crew responding to the fire reported seeing a header. The first fire crew on arrival reported a fully-involved house with “onlookers all over the place.”
Nicor was requested to the scene to stop a gas-fed fire. The Nicor gas company was advised that the Nicor response will require a “dig crew” to stop the gas source at a location near the fire scene.
Part of the house was still standing, but was burning. Most of the house was destroyed and burning.
The fire was declared under control about 9:44 p.m. Tuesday night.
Initially, there was no confirmation regarding whether any victims or pets were in the house. Some neighbors thought, and were hoping, that nobody was home.
Many people heard a large boom. Some neighbors said their houses shook when the explosion occurred. A neighbor reported there were no hydrants in the neighborhood, but firefighters were able to connect to a fire hydrant at Quentin Road and Ensell Road in Lake Zurich about 1700 feet southwest of the fire scene (as the crow flies/shortest distance between two points).
The fire scene is located just north of the Beacon Hill neighborhood in Kildeer. The fire scene is in Forest Lake, which is in Ela Township, and has a Lake Zurich address outside of incorporated Lake Zurich (according to Google maps).
MABAS Division 4 Box Alarm on Box #32-2 activated by 8:37 PM.
MABAS Division 4 Box Alarm to the Second Level on Box #32-2 activated by 9:24 PM.
MABAS Division 4 Box Alarm to the Second Level on Box #32-80 activated by 9:37 PM (Investigators Box)
MABAS Division 4 Box Alarm to the Third Level on Box #32-2 activated by 9:42 PM.
MABAS Division 4 Box Alarm on Box #32-80 activated by 8:36 AM Wednesday (Investigators Box resumed)
During the fire incident, there were thundershowers in the area, and a downpour occurred shortly after firefighters arrived on the scene.
The National Weather Service Station at Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling and Prospect Heights reported Winds E at 8 MPH and gusting to 18 MPH at 7:52 p.m. with an Air Temperature of 76°F.
The National Weather Service Station reported Winds SE at 8 MPH and gusting to 21 MPH at 8:52 p.m. with an Air Temperature of 71°F.
The National Weather Service Station reported Winds Calm with a thunderstorm in the vicinity at 9:52 p.m. with an Air Temperature of 71°F.
Air temperature dropped from 76°F to 71°F during the first hour of the incident. Before rainfall, the Heat Index was around 78°F to 79°F.
Winds are forecast to be from the south overnight around 9-10 MPH, and from the southwest by 4:00 a.m., and then from the west by about 10:00 a.m., with gusts over 15 MPH beginning about 9:00 a.m. Wednesday.
Fire scene video with flames showing after an explosion and fire destroyed a home on Overhill Drive in unincorporated Forest Lake near Lake Zurich on Tuesday night, June 4, 2024 (ABC 7 Chicago). YouTube Tips ⓘ
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