Firefighters from Waukegan and several other departments battled a blaze Wednesday at the former Ramada Inn that authorities say may have been set intentionally.
The fire at the abandoned hotel at 200 North Green Bay Road was reported at around 4:30 p.m. Firefighters discovered heavy smoke at the rear of one of the five buildings on the site. Access to the blaze was hampered by the boarded-up doors and windows of the building, which has been closed for many years, according to the Waukegan Fire Department.
A box alarm brought firefighters from other departments. The fire was out around 9:30 p.m., although personnel remained on the scene for several hours. One firefighter was treated at the scene for exhaustion.
The old hotel has a history of squatters, authorities said. There is evidence that the fire was intentionally set, Waukegan fire officials said Thursday.
No foul play
Zion police say foul play is not suspected in the death of an infant found unresponsive recently at an in-home daycare.
The 3-month-old girl was reported to not be breathing when paramedics were called to the Parkway Lane daycare at around 9 a.m. on April 25. The daycare owner was doing CPR on the child when first responders arrived. The child was taken to a hospital before being brought by helicopter to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
The child died there on April 28. An autopsy conducted by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office did not indicate foul play. A final cause of death will come after lab results are completed, police said.
The daycare was processed by police and the owner was cooperative with investigators, Zion police said. There is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing, police said. The case remains under investigation.
Road rage suspected
A four-car accident Wednesday in Long Grove may have been caused by road rage, according to the sheriff’s office.
The incident happened at around 7 a.m. at the intersection of Illinois Route 83 and Gilmer Road, reports said.
Police said a Chevrolet Blazer, driven by a 48-year-old Grayslake man, and a black sedan were traveling at a high rate speed as they headed south on Route 83. As they neared Gilmer, the Blazer abruptly shifted lanes in front of the sedan. The Blazer, though, clipped the front end of the sedan, which caused the Blazer to roll.
The SUV hit two cars that were stopped in the northbound lanes of Route 83, waiting to turn left onto Gilmer. Those cars were pushed into two vehicles that were behind them.
The driver of the sedan did not stop, police said.
The occupants of the first two vehicles struck suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The Blazer driver had to be extricated, though his injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
The investigation is continuing and criminal charges will be filed, police said.
Investigation continues
Gurnee police are continuing to investigate the death of a man whose body was found on the street near his house.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office identified the man as Luis Guzman, 31, of the 3800 block of Dorchester Avenue. He was found around 3:40 a.m. on April 29 near the intersection of Dorchester Avenue and Estes Street, and it appeared as if he had been dragged by a vehicle, police said.
His wife told police that Guzman had gone outside to smoke about 40 minutes before his body was seen.
The coroner’s office, citing the ongoing investigation, declined to release cause of death information following the completion of an autopsy.
Det. Shawn Gaylor of the Gurnee police said Thursday that detectives continue to work the case to determine what happened to Guzman.
