Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:

The Arlington Heights Fire Department responded at about 8:16 a.m. to the 1900-block of North Spruce Terrace after a report of a house fire. Firefighteres entered the home and found a 75-year-old man and his 72-year-old wife. They were transported to Northwest Community Hospital and both died shortly after arriving.

The fire was brought under control by 8:44 a.m. with help from neighboring fire departments.

The fire originated in the kitchen based on preliminary evidence. The state fire marshal is involved with the investigation to determine the cause.

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

An elderly couple died in a fatal house fire Thursday morning in Arlington Heights, the third deadly blaze in the northwest suburbs in recent weeks. Authorities identified the husband and wife as Lewis Smith, 75, and Joan Smith, 72, of the 1900 block Spruce Terrace.

They were found unresponsive in their home shortly after 8 a.m. and were transported to Northwest Community Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Firefighters arriving at the scene found flames coming from the roof and the windows blown out. Once inside the house, firefighters found the husband unconscious, near the top of the staircase, with his wife unconscious in a second floor bedroom. The couple was unresponsive and were unable to be revived at the scene.

A preliminary investigation found the fire likely started in the kitchen, and there were working smoke detectors in the home.

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