78-year-old woman dies after Palatine house fire

A 78-year-old woman died after a fire at her home in northwest suburban Palatine Thursday night.

A neighbor called for help after spotting the house fire shortly before 7 p.m. in the 300 block of West Slade Street, Palatine Fire Department Deputy Chief Patrick Gratzianna told reporters at the scene.

A police officer was able to get one person out of the house as crews arrived. He told firefighters that his mother was still inside, possibly by the kitchen, according to Gratzianna and a statement from the Palatine Fire Department.

Firefighters opened the front door to heavy smoke and found the woman on the floor near the the kitchen. They pulled her outside and tried to revive her, authorities said.

Hazel J. Keisler was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:36 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy scheduled Friday determined her death was caused by carbon monoxide toxicity and inhalation of smoke from the house fire.

The fire was under control within 15 minutes and the house was determined uninhabitable.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Friday.