Grandfather Walter Palmer, 3 grandchildren killed in Crete house fire; cause under investigation
Four people are dead after an overnight fire destroyed a home in south suburban Crete, Illinois.
Village officials said they were called to a home on Chalet Court just before 1 a.m. Wednesday. When they arrived they found a single-story home on fire.
While crews tried to search the home while battling heavy flames and smoke on the inside, they had to stop their search after a partial roof collapse and fight the fire defensively from outside. The fire was brought under control in about 40 minutes, officials said.
When firefighters were able to safely re-enter the home, they found the home's four occupants dead inside.
Family identified the victims as 71-year-old Walter Palmer and his three grandchildren, Cassidy, who celebrated her 16th birthday Tuesday, 10-year-old Mary and 8-year-old Ivy. Relatives said Palmer had been caring for his grandchildren after their mother died from cancer four years ago.
The superintendent of Crete-Monee School District 201-U said in a letter to parents that two of the girls were students at Monee Elementary and one was a high school student at Crete-Monee High School. Dr. Kara Coglianese did not share any further details "out of respect for the family's privacy and because circumstances are still being confirmed."
Neighbors said the fire tore through the home in minutes and smoke filled the neighborhood.
"When I woke up and came outside it was all over that house, everywhere," said one neighbor who did not want to appear on camera. "With the wind that was blowing it went to the backside of the house, it was going, it was really going."
"I just saw the equipment, and I saw the fire trucks, and this gentleman came over and said, 'Do you know how many people are in that house?' I said, 'Yeah, four and the dog.' 'He said you have to shut the garage the smoke is going to come in,'" said neighbor Nancy Kelly.
CBS Skywatch was over the scene where the fire had destroyed most of the single-story home, burning the roof off from what looked like the center of the home outward. There was also visible damage to trees on the property.
Neighbors and family said they are just coming to terms with how massive this loss is. They remembered Palmer as a wonderful person and a longtime staple of the community, and his grandchildren as three young girls with bright futures.
"I tell you, they did the best they could but it was too big," one neighbor said.
The cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation. The Crete fire chief said they are exploring several accidental causes, meaning several spots where the fire could have started inside the home. The Illinois State Fire Marshall will take the lead on the investigation moving forward.
The school district is providing counselors, social workers and other support staff for students that need them starting today, Dr. Coglianese said.