Owner killed in house explosion near Gurnee was about to move out

Authorities have identified the man who died in a Sept. 8 house explosion near Gurnee and say the blast occurred just days before he was to turn over the residence to its new owner.

Boris Slaskin, 59, previously owned the house on the 36400 block of Streamwood Drive that was in foreclosure and had been sold to a new owner July 11 at a Lake County sheriff's auction, according to sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Covelli.

Covelli said Slaskin and the new owner agreed Slaskin could live in the house until Sept. 10.

Two days before he was scheduled to leave, the house was destroyed in a fiery explosion that damaged six nearby dwellings and was felt miles away. The explosion happened about 6 p.m., and the fire it set off was extinguished around 2½ hours later.

Covelli said the cause of the explosion is still being investigated by the sheriff's office, the Gurnee Fire Department and the Illinois State Fire Marshall.

Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard I. Cooper said Slaskin was not killed immediately by the explosion but died of smoke inhalation.

Cooper's office used DNA testing to confirm Slaskin's identity.

"The first thing we try to do is use dental records because it is way faster," Cooper said. "But the dentist no longer had dental records for this gentleman."

Cooper said officials obtained a DNA sample from the body. He said they had an idea it was Slaskin, so they compared his DNA to cheek swabs obtained from members of his family to confirm his identity.

Covelli said the new owner of the house is working with the insurance company on how to proceed.