Two Dead in Separate House Fires in Waukegan, Madison County

A 63-year-old woman, Jacqueline McBride, was found dead following a house fire early Friday morning in Waukegan, which was complicated by hoarding conditions inside the home. Firefighters responded to the blaze at around 12:19 a.m. and faced significant challenges entering the structure due to the extent of the fire and the conditions within. McBride was pronounced dead at the scene, and while no other injuries were reported, the fire required additional resources to control and extinguish. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Waukegan Fire Department, and an autopsy is pending to determine further details regarding McBride's death. The incident has drawn attention to the dangers associated with hoarding situations in residential fires. A damage estimate has not yet been released.