A 70-year-old woman died of smoke inhalation in a fire Monday in southwest suburban Palos Hills.
Emergency crews responded about 3:15 p.m. to the woman’s home in the 8800 block of West 98th Place, according to the Palos Fire Protection District.
The fire, which was confined mainly to a bedroom, was put out in about 15 minutes, authorities said. Marilyn Riley was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where she was pronounced dead at 3:52 p.m.
An autopsy Tuesday determined Riley died of smoke and soot inhalation in the fire, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Her death was ruled an accident.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation Tuesday, according to the fire protection district. The medical examiner’s office attributed the cause to “carless use of smoking materials.”