2 dead after Highland Park house fire

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Two people were found dead after a house fire in Highland Park Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Neighbors said an elderly couple lived in the house, but they kept to themselves.

Firefighters had a hard time getting the fire under control. They got the call at around 1:15 a.m. that the house at 2088 Kipling Lane was on fire. A car in the front driveway was also burned.

The fire was so intense, it made many of the walls inside the house unstable, which kept fire crews from getting inside to make any possible rescues.

Eventually, when they were able to do a search, they found two bodies in the home.

"We got on the scene, first engine had heavy flames showing and they tried to make entry and had to back out because of heavy smoke and flames and we went into a defensive mode, where we were hitting the fire from the outside," said Highland Park Fire Chief Larry Amidel.

The Lake County Coroner has not released the identities of the two people who died in this fire, but neighbors say an elderly couple lived here for many years.

The husband was always doing yard work and trimming the hedges himself, even in his old age. They never really saw his wife, and say the couple mostly kept to themselves.

"Just tragic that two lives were lost, most importantly, and obviously this is a devastating fire and this hits close to home for all of the neighbors who live in this community," said neighbor Lindsay Malitz.

Fire officials said the cause of the fire is under investigation.