Man dies in Hazel Crest fire

A 44-year-old man died and two people were injured after a fire broke out in a home Wednesday in south suburban Hazel Crest.

The man who died was identified as Michael Burrage, of Hazel Crest, by the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy ruled his death an accident, saying he died of burn and inhalation injuries.

Firefighters arrived to the blaze about 4 a.m. and found two people unconscious inside a home in the 3400 block of Hickory Lane, according to the Hazel Crest Fire Department.

The pair were pulled from the fire, while a third person escaped on their own, the department said in a statement.

They were all taken to hospitals, where Burrage was pronounced dead, authorities said.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal was investigating the cause of the fire.