Lightning sparks Lake County jail fire

A lightning strike sparked a fire Thursday at Lake County's criminal detention facility for juveniles, authorities said.

The blaze was reported about 3:40 p.m. at the complex, formally called the Robert W. Depke Juvenile Justice Complex and Minard E. Hulse Juvenile Detention Center. It's on the east side of Milwaukee Avenue, south of Route 60 near Vernon Hills.

Early reports indicated lightning hit the roof of one building, Lake County sheriff's police Sgt. Christopher Thompson said. The resulting fire stayed on the roof and did not spread into the building, Thompson said.

Juvenile prisoners in the area beneath the lightning strike were moved to other parts of the building, Thompson said. The complex itself was not evacuated.

The parking lot at the complex was filled with fire trucks, ambulances and police cars from throughout the area. Emergency vehicles continued driving to and from the scene more than an hour after the fire was reported.

The Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District was leading the firefighter crews on the scene.

Northbound traffic on Milwaukee Avenue was slowed to stop-and-go approaching the Depke center. Police officers in rainwear helped direct motorists past the scene.

No other details were immediately available.