Woman, 70, Found Dead In Early Morning Fire: Des Plaines PD

DES PLAINES, IL — A 70-year-old woman was found dead early Friday morning following an overnight apartment fire in Des Plaines, authorities said.

The Des Plaines Fire and Police Departments responded around 12:39 a.m. to a reported apartment fire with possible entrapment at 772 Fifth Court.

When crews arrived, they encountered heavy fire conditions inside an eight-unit, two-story apartment building, according to officials. Firefighters extinguished the blaze while conducting searches of all units.

During the response, crews located a 70-year-old woman inside the apartment where the fire originated. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the woman as a resident of the home.

Officials said the building’s other 13 residents safely evacuated and no additional injuries were reported.

The building was deemed uninhabitable following the fire. The American Red Cross responded to assist displaced residents.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Des Plaines Police and Fire Departments, MABAS investigators and the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.