Fire Marshal: "People Need to Be Mindful of the Dangers to Being Inside a Vacant Property"

After a pair of fires happened inside abandoned houses near the Long Grove area this year, Lake County authorities are urging teenagers to be extra cautious with the upcoming holiday.

The district responded earlier this year to a pair of fires inside abandoned homes where firefighters reported no one present at the scene, the Chicago Tribune reports.

"The district suspects teenagers may have played a role in the fires who likely entered the homes to host parties and may have started the fires on accident. In both incidents, the homes didn't have gas, electricity or other utilities connected. With the holiday upcoming, people need to be mindful of the dangers to being inside a vacant property," said Michael Schmitt, fire marshal for the Long Grove Fire Protection District.

The district first responded to a house on fire at 9:48 p.m. on March 31 at 3699 Cuba Road. First responders reported no injuries in the fire and also reported how no one else was on scene.

The second house fire occured at 3133 Shagbark Lane at 9:35 p.m. Sept. 16 when firefighters discovered that "the second floor had collapsed onto the first floor in the rear of the home" and saw flames coming through the roof, Fire Chief Robert Turpel said at the time.

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