Woman Found In Bed During Fire Died Of Heart Disease
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A woman found in a CHA senior housing building by firefighters during a blaze that injured two people Thursday morning suffered heart problems and did not die from fire-related injuries, a Friday autopsy found.
The fire started about 10:20 a.m. on the third floor of the Minnie Riperton apartments at 4250 S. Princeton Ave., according to Fire Media Affairs spokesman Richard Rosado. A still-and-box alarm and an EMS Plan I were called for the blaze.
Crews found a woman during a primary search of the building, Fire Media Director Larry Langford said. Cozzella Jordan, 63, of 4250 S. Princeton Ave., suffered burns and was dead on the scene on a bed inside the apartment where the fire started.
An autopsy on Friday found Jordan died of coronary atherosclerosis and her death was ruled natural, the Cook County Medical Examiner's office said.
Rosado said another woman who suffered smoke inhalation was taken in fair condition to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, and a firefighter who twisted his knee was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
The blaze was contained to the bedroom and was under control at 10:55 a.m. Another person who stays in the unit where the fire started was not hurt, Langford said.
Rosado said there were smoke detectors but he did not know if they were working.
Langford said it was not immediately known what caused the fire, but said it did not appear suspicious.
"A preliminary cause could be careless use of smoking materials," Langford said.
CHA spokesman Matt Aguilar said the Riperton building houses seniors.
