ZION, Ill. (STMW) – The resident of an apartment in far north suburban Zion was killed in a fire in his apartment early Saturday morning.

About 3:10 a.m. an automatic fire alarm came in to the Zion Fire and Rescue Department from the Park Trails Apartments, 3455 Sheridan Rd. in Zion, a release from the department said. Residents then began to call 911 to report a fire in the building.

When crews got to the scene, they found heavy smoke in a lower level apartment, the release said. Residents had started to evacuate the building prior to the arrival of firefighters, the release said, and firefighters got the remainder of the residents out safely. Firefighters entered the smoky apartment where the fire began and found a male who was dead on the scene, according to the release.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

No residents were displaced, according to the fire department. Once the situation was under control all the residents were able to return to their apartments.

In addition to Zion fire crews, personnel from other area fire departments, including Beach Park, Newport, Winthrop Harbor, Gurnee, and Waukegan assisted.

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