1 dead in Zion senior home fireon December 21, 2020 at 8:17 pm

A person died in a Zion senior home fire that prompted authorities to evacuate the 90-unit building Monday to the north suburb’s city hall.

Firefighters were called about 12:20 a.m. to Carmel House senior apartments, at 2815 Elisha Ave., and found heavy smoke on the third floor, the Zion Fire Department said in a statement.

One person was taken in serious condition to Vista East Medical Center, while two people were taken for underlying medical issues that may have been exacerbated by the incident, the release states.

The person in serious condition later died at a hospital, according to the Lake County coroner’s office and a statement from the building’s owner, SHP Management.

Authorities haven’t released the person’s name pending notification of family.

Crews evacuated nearby units and extinguished the fire in the room it started, the fire department release states. The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately clear.

Because of smoke, authorities evacuated all of the building’s occupants to Zion City Hall, which is within a block of the apartment building.

About 55 firefighters and 25 vehicles, including many from neighboring departments, assisted in the response.

All other residents were allowed to return to the building at 5 a.m., with the exception of the person who lived directly below the location of the fire, according to SHP Management. That person will be housed at a hotel until a long-term housing is provided.

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