Man dead, woman in critical condition after Garfield Ridge fire

An 89-year-old man is dead and a woman is in critical condition after a fire Saturday night in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood on the Southwest Side.

Firefighters responded to the fire about 6:30 p.m. in the 5600 block of South Mayfield, police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala said.

Sam Valenti, who lived on that block, was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:29 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Valenti died of smoke inhalation and his death was ruled an accident, according to an autopsy performed Sunday.

A second person, an 87-year-old woman, was taken in critical condition to a hospital, Zala said.