Mother, daughter die in Evergreen Park house fire

A mother and daughter were killed in a fire early Wednesday at their southwest suburban Evergreen Park home.

Authorities were called at 4:22 a.m. for reports of the house fire in the 9600 block of South Richmond Avenue, according to a statement from Evergreen Park police.

Two women who lived in the home, 86-year-old Patricia A. Mullen and her daughter, 56-year-old Janet Rauscher, were taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said. Rauscher was pronounced dead at 5:44 a.m., while Mullen died at 12:55 p.m.

Autopsies Thursday found that Rauscher died from inhalation of products of combustion while Mullen died from complications of inhalation of products of combustion, the medical examiner’s office said. Both of their deaths were ruled accidents.

The Illinois Fire Marshal was called to investigate the fire, police said.