Person dead after car engulfed in flames in Crystal Lake parking lot

A person is dead after a car was found engulfed in flames Thursday morning in a Crystal Lake parking lot, officials report.

The Crystal Lake Police Department and Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department responded to a call at 5:39 a.m. Thursday to a parking lot located at 1205 S. Route 31 for a reported car on fire. Several witnesses reported a person was in the car and made attempts to remove the person from the car, according to a Crystal Lake Police Department news release. The address is located near the Walmart Supercenter.

“However, those attempts failed due to the intensity of the fire,” Crystal lake Deputy Chief Richard Neumann said in the release.

The person was found and pronounced dead at the scene after the fire was extinguished, according to the release. The State Fire Marshal, Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department and the Crystal Lake Police Department are investigating the matter.

“We encourage anyone who may have information relating to this investigation to contact the Crystal Lake Police Department at 815-356-3620,” Neumann said in the release.

Anonymous tips can also be texted to the police by texting the word CLPDTIP along with information to 847411. Normal text message rates apply.