Man found dead after River Forest house fire

A man was found dead Sunday afternoon after a fire broke out at a home in west suburban River Forest.

Firefighters responded at 2:26 p.m. to the fire at the two-story home in the 500 block of Park Avenue, less than a block away from the fire station, according to River Forest Fire Department Chief Jim Eggert. Firefighters arrived in about a minute and found heavy smoke and flames coming from a basement window.

Firefighters used one hose to fight the fire from the outside and a second hose that entered through the basement, navigated through heavy clutter and reached the living area in the front of the house, Eggert said. The fire was knocked down, contained and extinguished in about 20 minutes by initial crews and help from nine other surrounding fire departments.

A family of two adults and two children that lived on the first floor were able to safely evacuate before fire crews arrived, Eggert said. The second floor of the home was vacant and while searching the home, firefighters found a man in the basement who had “succumbed to conditions of the fire.”

Elpidio Flores, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Monday found he died of smoke and soot inhalation, and his death was ruled an accident.

No other injuries were reported, Eggert said. The investigation of the cause of the blaze was completed Monday by 7:30 p.m. and for public safety and security purposes the home was boarded up by 9:00 p.m.