Six hurt in last night's fire at Lake County juvenile center

Six people were injured in a fire at Lake County's juvenile detention facility near Vernon Hills yesterday.

None was hurt badly, authorities said today.

The victims were either staff members or youthful prisoners who suffered smoke inhalation, Lake County sheriff's police said.

All were treated at area hospitals and released, police said.

The blaze started about 3:40 p.m. Thursday when lightning hit the roof of a gymnasium 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.

Firefighters from 14 suburban departments responded to the blaze. They were able to quickly contain the blaze to the roof, stopping it before it could spread to the rest of the building, said Assistant Fire Chief David Gnadt of the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District.

The blaze smoldered for hours, however. The last firefighters left the scene about 8:45 p.m.

Thirty-six prisoners that were in the building at the time were moved to other areas, authorities said. The complex itself was not evacuated.

No one escaped, authorities said.