97-Year-Old Woman Dies After House Fire

Updated: 12/14/10 3:57 p.m.

CHICAGO (STMW) - The cause of a fire at a South Shore home Monday night in which an elderly woman died and another resident was injured remained under investigation Tuesday.

Fire department officials said the home had one smoke detector, but it was not working at the time of the fire.

Susie West, 97, of the 7700 block of South Constance Avenue, was pronounced dead at 8:57 p.m. Monday at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to a spokesman for the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

An autopsy Tuesday found that she suffered carbon monoxide poisoning and inhalation of smoke and soot from a house fire, according to the medical examiner's office. Her death was ruled accidental.

The fire started at 8:02 p.m. at a 1 1/2 story house, Fire Media Affairs spokesman Richard Rosado said.

Two people were taken to Jackson Park Hospital, one in critical condition and another in good condition, Rosado said. They apparently suffered smoke-related injuries.

The fire was extinguished about 8:30 p.m. The home had one smoke detector, but it was not working, Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation as of Tuesday afternoon, Langford said. Firefighters canvassed the area around the site of the fire on Tuesday morning passing out smoke detetctors and fire safety information to area residents.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)