Man killed in ‘suspicious’ Englewood fire identified

A man who died of burns suffered in what the Chicago Fire Department called a “suspicious” fire last week in the South Side Englewood neighborhood has been identified.

Crews responded at 9:22 a.m. May 8 to a flash fire in the basement and first floor of a two-story home in the 7100 block of South Emerald, according to Fire Media Affairs.

Two people, a man in his 20s who was working at the building; and a man in his 50s who is associated with the building, were taken to St. Bernard Hospital, according to Fire Media.

The younger man, identified as 27-year-old Petro Kudryansky, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:51 a.m. on May 9, according to Fire Media and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He lived on the block where the fire occurred.

An autopsy showed he died of thermal injuries from the fire, and his death was ruled an accident, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The older man’s condition was stabilized at St. Bernard, authorities said.

The fire was extinguished in about half an hour.

The fire was ruled suspicious and the investigation was turned over the Chicago Police Bomb and Arson Unit, according to Fire Media.