An 86-year-old woman died early Monday after she was severely burned in a fire in the kitchen of her southwest suburban Orland Park home.
Emergency crews responded to Margaret Keane’s home about 5 p.m. Friday in the 7300 block of Paradise Lane, according to Orland Park spokesman Ray Hanania.
Keane was found severely burned in a fire that started while she was cooking, Hanania said. Paramedics took Keane to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood for treatment.
Fire officials said Keane was alone at the time of the fire, which was contained to the kitchen.
She was pronounced dead at Loyola at 12:55 a.m. Monday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. An autopsy Tuesday found she died of complications of her injuries in the fire and her death was ruled an accident.
“Our Firefighters and Paramedics did an outstanding job considering the circumstances,” Orland Park Battalion Chief Nicholas Cinquepalmi said in a statement.
The Orland Park Fire Protection District reminded residents to refrain from wearing loose clothing that can catch fire while cooking, the importance of having a fire extinguisher nearby and to use safe cooking practices.
