Man dies of smoke inhalation in Chatham house fire

A man was found dead after a house fire in the South Side Chatham neighborhood late Friday afternoon.

Crews responded at 4:53 p.m. to the fire at a home in the 300 block of East 88th Place, fire department spokesman Cmdr. Will Knight said.

After the blaze was put out, firefighters found 55-year-old Novell Norris on the second floor, according to Knight and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. There were no functional smoke detectors in the home, fire officials said.

An autopsy performed Saturday found Norris, who lived in the home, died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries and ruled his death an accident.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.