The Mundelein Fire Department said a missing woman was found dead inside the townhourse after a fire in the 1200-block of Huntington Drive on Sunday (ABC 7 Chicago). YouTube Tips ⓘ
The identity of a woman who died at a duplex home in Mundelein was released today, March 5, 2025 by the Lake County Coroner’s Office. The deceased, who was pronounced dead at the fire scene in Mundelein, was positively identified as 77-year-old Alicia Bowles of Mundelein. On Monday, March 3, 2025, an autopsy was conducted at the Lake County Coroner’s Office. Preliminary autopsy results are pending further medical studies, including toxicology testing to determine carbon monoxide levels.
Mundelein Police Department and Mundelein Fire Department responded to the 1200 block of Huntington Drive for a report of a structure fire, and fought an extra-alarm fire where hoarder conditions existed inside the home and in the attached garage.
Police, firefighters, and paramedics responded at 5:23 p.m. Sunday, March 2, 2025 to a report of a fire at a residence with hoarder conditions that was occupied by an elderly female in the block of 1200 Huntington Drive in Mundelein.
Upon arrival, heavy smoke was found coming from the front and rear of the residence with heavy fire at the rear from the second floor. Fire companies attempted an aggressive interior attack. When fire companies made entrance, they were met with heavy smoke, high heat, and hoarder conditions. These hoarder conditions were also found on the stairwell to the second floor which made accessing the second floor extremely difficult.
Due to the high heat and the firefighters’ inability to make their way up the stairs, the fire attack was changed to defensive (exterior). Once firefighters were able toknock down the main body of fire on the first and second floor, the interior attack was resumed.
MABAS Box Alarm 43-2R was requested to the box alarm level which provided an additional two fire engines, a ladder truck, a squad, an ambulance, and two additional command officer chief’s, as well as change of quarters companies to cover the Village of Mundelein while firefighters were committed to the duplex fire.
The MABAS Box Alarm 43-80 was requested to the second alarm for fire investigators.
With the there being a car in the driveway and the occupant unaccounted for, firefighters had to assume that the occupant was still in the residence. Lake County Sheriff’s deputies provided assistance, and checked the occupants place of work. They advised that she was a no call/ no show this morning.
The Office of the State Fire Marshall was requested to the scene due to the probability of this being a fatal fire.
During overhaul, the occupant was found in a second-floor bedroom. The body was turned over to the Lake County Coroner.
The Mundelein Police Department is assisting in the investigation. Foul play is not expected.
Hoarding conditions were found to be 5 feet high throughout the residence including the stairwell.
Upon arrival, the front door could only be opened 5 to 6 inches and had to be removed off its hinges.
The home had no heat with heat being provided by space heaters and propane powered camping type heaters.
Mundelein firefighters received mutual firefighers, paramedics and/or command officers from Libertyville, Countryside, Lincolnshire, Lake Zurich, Grayslake, Lake Bluff, Wauconda, Long Grove, Arlington Heights, Gurnee, Lake Forest, Lake Villa, Inverness, Barrington, Round Lake, Newport, Zion, Winthrop Harbor, Antioch, and Buffalo Grove Fire Departments. The Salvation Army Canteen was also assigned.
All fire companies left the scene by 11:30 p.m.
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