Fatal Fire in West Lawn Under Investigation
Fire Investigation determined blaze "suspicious" in nature.
Shardaa Gray
Authorities are now investigating the cause of a fire on the Southwest Side of West Lawn that killed a 60-year-old man Saturday morning.
Authorities are now investigating the cause of a fire on the Southwest Side of West Lawn that killed a 60-year-old man this morning.
The Office of Fire Investigations found the blaze to be suspicious in nature and the investigation has been turned over to the Chicago Police Dept. Bomb and Arson Unit, according to Fire Media.
The two-story building housed a business on the first floor and two apartments on the second floor. The man lived in the front apartment, but the fire was started in the rear apartment. While the rear apartment is occupied, no one was in it at that time.
A witness said she saw the man calling for help from the window of the two-story building at 4246 W. 63rd St., after a fire started around 4:40 a.m. She then said he disappeared from the window.
When firefighters located him, he was very close to the door of his apartment and had apparently succumbed to the smoke, Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said.
The man was declared dead at 5:15 a.m., according to the medical examiner's office, which will not be releasing the name until family is notified.
