Boys, 2 And 4, Die After Kankakee Apartment Fre
(STMW) -- Two boys, ages 2 and 4, have died after a three-alarm fire broke out early Wednesday at the Kankakee apartment building where they lived.
The younger boy, Jushaun Watson, was pronounced dead at 12:10 p.m. Sunday at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, and 4-year-old Justice Stewart died at 3:54 p.m. Friday at Comer Children's Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
They were taken by helicopter to those hospitals with severe burns following the blaze, which started about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday at the two-story building in the 800 block of West Station Street, according to Kankakee Fire Chief Ron Young.
When firefighters arrived, they saw smoke billowing from the second floor and residents hanging out windows, Young said.
In addition to the young boys, a 65-year-old woman suffered smoke inhalation; a 25-year-old man burned his hands and jumped out a window; and a 22-year-old woman burned her hands. Their conditions were stabilized at hospitals, Young said.
A firefighter also suffered minor burns while battling the blaze and was treated at the scene.
It took crews about an hour and a half to put out the flames. Twenty-two people were displaced, Young said.
The blaze was thought to have started in a rear stairwell of the building, but the cause was unknown Wednesday morning. Fire officials could not immediately be reached Sunday for an update on the investigation.
Autopsies for Jushaun and Justice were scheduled for Monday.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2016. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
