An early morning fire inside a Chicago Lawn two-flat killed a man believed to have been squatting inside, authorities said Sunday.
Police and fire crews responded to the two-story brick building at 6401 S. Whipple St. just after 3:30 a.m., authorities said.
Inside, authorities found a 36-year-old man unresponsive, according to police. The victim’s identity wasn’t immediately available.
The victim is suspected of squatting inside what appeared to be an abandoned building, according to Fire Department spokesman Frank Velez. The cause of the fire remained under investigation, he added.
Hours after the fatal blaze, the fire department’s public education unit went to South Whipple Street to distribute smoke detectors and fire safety literature, while reminding residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, tweeted that he had asked the city’s buildings department for a list of vacant properties in the ward, along with their registration status and any pending actions against them.
Check back for updates.
