Man killed in St. Charles fire

(ST. CHARLES) A St. Charles fire killed a man Sunday morning in his apartment in the western suburb.

The fire started about 7:30 a.m. Sunday at a home in the 0-100 block of South Third Avenues, the St. Charles Fire Department said in a statement. A man who lived on the first floor of the building called 911 after smelling, and later seeing, heavy smoke.

Firefighters found a blaze in the second-floor unit, as well as the tenant, who was initially reported as unable to escape the building, the fire department said.

David Hawksley, 60, lived in the unit and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a statement from the Kane County coroner’s office. An autopsy was conducted Monday, but determination of cause and manner of death are pending further investigation.

The first-floor occupant was able to get out of the building and was not injured, the fire department said.

Damage to the building is estimated at about $50,000.