Feb. 24--A man died following a house fire in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood Tuesday afternoon that apparently was caused by careless smoking, authorities said.
Crews were called to the home in the 3200 block of West 61st Street about 12:20 p.m. and took one person who had been in the home in critical condition to an area hospital, said fire spokesman Cmdr. Frank Velez.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office on Wednesday identified him as Refugio Pueble of the same block where the fire broke out. His age was not immediately available, but Fire Department and county officials said he was believed to be in his 50s.
He was found with cardiac arrest during a search of the home and was later pronounced dead at Holy Cross Hospital, according to the Fire Department's news office. Initial investigation indicates the fire was caused by careless use of smoking materials. There were no smoke detectors in the home.
The fire in the two-story frame building was declared under control about 12:45 p.m., Velez said.
The Fire Department's Office of Fire Investigation was working to determine the cause of the blaze.
One firefighter was injured in the blaze and taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park for treatment, according to the police spokesman.
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