Man, 75, found dead in Clearing is season’s first cold death

A 75-year-old man found dead Friday in the Southwest Side Clearing neighborhood is the first cold-related death of the season in Cook County.

The man was found inside a home and pronounced dead shortly at 10:52 a.m. in the 6900 block of West 64th Street, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office

Officers on patrol saw a large amount of mail in front of the home and recognized the address as having had a previous call for a well-being check, police said. After gaining entry to the home, officers learned it had no heat or running water.

The man, whose identity was been released pending notification of family, died of hypothermia from cold exposure, the medical examiner’s office said. His death was ruled an accident.

Last year, the first cold-related death of the winter season was reported Oct. 26. At least 27 cold-related deaths were reported last winter, according to authorities.