UPDATES WITH DETAILS
(LAKE IN THE HILLS) A 57-year-old woman died a day after a house fire over the weekend in northwest suburban Lake in the Hills.
Crews responded about 10:45 a.m. Saturday to the blaze at Rachelle Martin’s home in the 300 block of Council Trail, according to Lake in the Hills police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. First responders found the home on fire and attempted to get inside, but discovered the doors were blocked from inside the home.
Firefighters were able to get inside the home, but reported a difficult search due to “hoarder like conditions” inside the home, police said.
Martin suffered burns and smoke inhalation, and was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where she died at 8:36 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. An autopsy Tuesday ruled her death an accident.
The fire remained under investigation on Wednesday.