Woman Killed in Des Plaines House Fire

Smoking may have been the cause of the blaze

A Des Plaines woman was killed early Monday in a fire that officials said may have been started by smoking.

The blaze began around midnight, and officials said flames rapidly spread, shooting from the roof of the bi-level home in the 1000 block of Irwin Avenue.

Des Plaines Fire Chief Alan Wax said a man was able to make it out of the burning home and alert a police officer that a woman was inside. The officer ran into the home but couldn't reach her in time.

The woman, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office as 49-year-old Sandra Lupi, was found in the lower level of the home.

"We are certainly sad," Wax said. "We don't want anyone hurt or killed in a fire. We send our condolences to the family."

Wax said the fire started in the bed where the woman was found in the lower level.

"Especially as we head into the winter heating season, we hope that people remember to use some common sense," Wax said. "We don't know that the fire had anything related to heating, but we do know that every year we have fires related to heating."

The man who ran out and the officer he alerted were both treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Neighbors said a father lived in the home with his daughter.

The fire remains under investigation.
 

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