From the Prospect Heights Fire District:

At 0549 Prospect Heights Squad 9 was dispatched to a car fire at the Motel 6, 540 Milwaukee Avenue. Before they left quarters it was upgraded to an accident with entrapment adding Battalion 9, Ambulance 9, Chief 900, plus Wheeling Ambulance 23, Ambulance 24, Engine 23, Tower 24, and Mount Prospect Truck 14. Multiple calls indicated the car had hit the levee wall and went into the Des Plaines River. Then it was reported there were victims in the river, possibly children. A swift water compliment was added: Wheeling Battalion 24 and Dive Squad 24, Dive 63 and Squad 63 from Des Plaines, and a Lincolnshire-Riverwoods boat.

The crash was located just south of the Motel 6 at the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue and River Road. On arrival, companies found an SUV that had crashed through the guard rail and went over the concrete levee wall into the Des Plaines River. One occupant was ejected with other possible occupants in the car. First arriving companies laddered the levee wall and went down the embankment to the car, where they extinguished the fire before starting a shore-based search. The ejected victim was DOA. The search of the river did not reveal any additional victims.

The Des Plaines River levee is a concrete wall that runs along the east side of Milwaukee Avenue south from Palatine Road to just north of Euclid/Lake Avenue. It is about 12 inches thick and extends several feet below grade so as to resist erosion. It extends above grade anywhere from a few feet tall to a height of over ten feet. At the location impacted by this car, it was 5-6 feet high. It appeared the impact may have moved the top of the levee wall as much as two inches closer to the river.

 

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Prospect Heights FPD photo

#chicagoareafire.com; #ProspectHeightsFPD; #fatalcrash; #FireTruck; #Spartan;

Prospect Heights FPD photo

#chicagoareafire.com; #ProspectHeightsFPD; #fatalcrash; #FDdivers; #carfire;

Prospect Heights FPD photo

#chicagoareafire.com; #ProspectHeightsFPD; #fatalcrash; #FDdivers; #carfire;

Prospect Heights FPD photo

 

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