Man dies in house fire near Libertyville

A man with limited mobility, known to have oxygen tanks in his Libertyville-area house, died in a fire there late Wednesday, authorities said.

The first Lake County sheriff's deputies on the scene at 10:45 p.m. could not save Kenneth F. Deyo, 76, of the 30300 block of North Oak Grove Avenue in unincorporated Libertyville Township, because heavy smoke and fire prevented them from entering the house, authorities said in a news release.

Libertyville Fire Department Assistant Chief Mike Cloe said the blaze in the two-story house was fully involved when crews arrived.

Firefighters found Deyo dead inside the home. Police said Deyo had limited mobility.

Oxygen cylinders were known to be in the house through previous visits by firefighters, Cloe said. He said a dog believed to have lived with the man had yet to be found Thursday.

Sheriff's police detectives, the Illinois state fire marshal and Libertyville fire investigators have been collaborating on an investigation. Officials said a cause of the fire had yet to be determined Thursday.

Police said Deyo's caretaker from Wednesday night was interviewed as part of the investigation. Police said she had called 911 earlier in the evening for assistance, then left the house.

Police said Deyo later telephoned the caretaker and asked her to return to the house. By the time she reached the house, police said, she was unable to enter due to the fire and called 911.