Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:
Maywood firefighters received multiple calls about a fire at a residence in the 100 block of 9th Ave. Sunday around 1:55 a.m. As they battled flames on the ground floor of the home, they discovered a man and a woman who were unconscious. Both victims were transported to Loyola University Medical Center, but despite doctors’ best efforts, 54-year-old Cedric Brown did not survive. His girlfriend remains hospitalized in critical condition, suffering from severe smoke inhalation. Brown was a father of two.
It took firefighters 45 minutes to get the blaze under control, which investigators said appears to have begun in the front room of the first floor a little before 2 a.m. No other injuries were reported. Illinois State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire. Officials said there were no working smoke detectors in the first floor apartment.
