Box Alarm Pulled for Cuba Marsh Fire

Smoke can be seen from surrounding areas .

A box alarm was pulled this afternoon for a fire inside of Barrington's Cuba Marsh.  Fire Department officials say it started around 1:15 p.m. According to bystanders, fires have popped up in several locations inside of the Lake Forest Preserve area. As of 3:30 p.m., police have closed Citizens Park, which is adjacent to Cuba Marsh.    "The smell is horrible. The wind has changed and ash is flying everywhere," a witness said near Citizens Park.  The Canadian National Railway's tracks run through Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve. Media spokesman Patrick Waldron said their trains are not affected by the blaze and have continued running as scheduled.  At this time, it's unclear what started the fires. Fire officials are still on the scene. …

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Lake Bluff Resident Rescued from His Burning Home; Cause Still Under Investigation

Lake Bluff Police officers to receive commendations for heroism.

Lake Bluff resident Kevin Westre is recovering at Lake Forest Hospital after being rescued from his burning home early Sunday morning by Lake Bluff police officers. While on patrol at 3:59 a.m., officer Damon Schmidt observed smoke coming from the area of East Woodland Road. Upon reaching 11 E. Woodland Road, the residence was fully engulfed in flames. Schmidt exited his vehicle with a fire extinguisher and responded to the front door attempting to put the flames out and make entry to make sure that the home was unoccupied. By this time, Lake Bluff police officers James Reynolds and Thomas Vinson arrived on the scene, and the three began to check the outside of the building looking for a place to make entry. Each officer used squad vehicle…

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Fire Department Still Investigating “Unique Compact Dumpster” Fire in Lake Forest

Investigating what caused the plastics in the dumpster to catch fire.

Libertyville Fire Department is still investigating the dumpster fire that started outside a factory near Lake Forest around 10a.m. Saturday. Fire Chief Rich Carani said hot plastic is suspected of starting the fire in a dumpster outside International Precision Plastics Corp., 28251 N. Ballard Drive, Lake Forest. “We are not sure what caused the fire yet, all we know is that the contents of dumpster were scrap plastic and other garbage material,” Carani said. The 30-yard dumpster was half full when the scrap plastic caught on fire. The flame from the fire caused the roof material to start burning and also cracked the block wall. Once the building was cracked it allowed smoke access into the building. No one was injured. Carani said the …

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Christmas Tree Fire Extinguished at Lake Bluff Residence

Homeowner tries to drag burning Christmas tree from home, sustains minor burns.

A Lake Bluff home in the 100 block of East Woodland Road sustained considerable damage Monday morning after a Christmas tree caught fire. The homeowner, David Horvat Jr., attempted to drag the burning Christmas tree out of the house and sustained minor burns to his forehead and hand, according to Lake Bluff Deputy Chief David Belmonte. No one else was injured. The Lake Bluff Police Department received a call at 8:15 a.m. and  units from several neighboring fire departments arrived within minutes to extinguish the fire at 117 E. Woodland Road.  One of the Horvat's neighbors, Carl Schons, a retired Lake Bluff police chief, said the police banged on his door and told him there was a house fire next door and he needed to evacuate his house. …

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Here Comes Santa Claus

St. Nick tours Lake Bluff with assist from Lake Bluff volunteer fire department.

Sunday morning, Santa Claus made his annual ride through Lake Bluff. For at least the last 50 years, Santa has hitched a ride on the fire department's truck to make a two-hour trek touring the streets on both the east and west sides of town. Volunteer Lake Bluff firefighters helped St. Nick hand out more than 80 pounds of chocolate candy. As the temperature dipped below freezing, the truck siren signaling Santa's approach wailed only slightly louder than the gust of 37-mile-per-hour winds. Kids big and small trickled from their homes, their fingers wiggling in excitement; some diehards endured the cold throughout, till Santa actually arrived curbside. Although firefighters spent a few extra minutes past the 10 a.m. start time to add more …

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Fire Causes Small Damage to Luke's of Lake Bluff

Knollwood Fire Department says cause still unknown.

The cause of a fire Monday night at Luke's of Lake Bluff remains unknown , according to the Knollwood Fire Department. The fire occured at 5 p.m. in front of Luke's, 203 N. Waukegan Road, and caused $5,000 to $10,000 damage, said Battalion Chief Erik Kositzki of the Knollwood Fire Department. The restaurant reopened Tuesday for business. Lake Forest, Libertyville, Beach Park, North Chicago and Lake Bluff fire departments assisted.