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Algonquin man dies two days after being rescued from pond

A 57-year-old Algonquin man who was rescued after driving his car into a pond earlier this week died Friday, according to a spokeswoman at Advocate Sherman Hospital.

Paul Mellor had been in critical condition as of about 10 a.m. Friday but died a few hours later at the Elgin hospital, spokeswoman Tonya Hudson said.

Just before 11 a.m. Wednesday, Mellor, who was alone, drove a Honda Accord into the retention pond at Algonquin Commons on the 1500 block of South Randall Road. Firefighters from the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District responded to the scene, cut Mellor's seat belt and pulled him out through the sunroof as the car was sinking in about six feet of water. He was unconscious with no pulse at the time of his rescue, officials said.

"He was submerged," said Peter Van Dorp, the district's assistant fire chief. "He went under water and he was under water for several minutes while we were trying to get him out. We had to force our way into the vehicle and then remove him."

Firefighters delivered advanced life support, including CPR, to Mellor from the time they pulled him out of the water until they arrived in the emergency room, Van Dorp said.

Van Dorp didn't know whether Mellor was breathing once they arrived at the hospital. He had been in critical condition since he got to the hospital and was unable to tell authorities what had happened, authorities said.

Kane County Coroner Rob Russell could not be reached for comment late Friday.

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