Death of man who jumped from Lincoln Park apartment fire ruled a suicide

A man jumped to his death Monday from a seventh-floor apartment in Lincoln Park after a fire had been set, authorities said.

The fire was reported in an apartment around 5 p.m. in the 400 block of West Wrightwood Avenue, police said.

Responding crews found Demarlo M. Branch, 31, on the ground and he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Autopsy results released Tuesday found he died of injuries from the jump. His death was ruled a suicide.

Branch lived in the apartment on the 7th floor where the fire was set, a Chicago Fire Department spokesman said.

Four officers suffered minor smoke inhalation and were transported to a hospital for evaluation, officials said.

The fire was contained to one apartment. Police said it was being investigated as an arson but would give no details.