Police, firefighters, and paramedics from Elk Grove Village responded about 3:09 a.m. Thursday, March 23, 2023 to a report of a house fire in the block of 500 Ridgewood Road in Elk Grove Village.
Firefighters received a report that a room was on fire with smoke visible after a man on oxygen caused ignition of combustible materials when he was smoking.
Firefighters on arrival reported nothing showing.
Inside the home firefighters discovered a man unresponsive in cardiac arrest. There was no active fire upon arrival. Paramedics went to work on assessment and treatment of their patient, and firefighters went to work to ventilate the home. The male victim was transported to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Lutheran General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The ignition of combustible materials exposed to oxygen was apparently caused by cigarette smoking.
According to the Cook County Medical Examiners Office, a 71 year-old man died of inhalational and thermal injuries due to combustion of home oxygen while smoking. Secondary causes of death were listed as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Hypertension.
Demonstrations: The Dangers of Oxygen YouTube Tips ⓘ
Stay informed with news from The Cardinal’s Emergencies Behind the Scenes Facebook page — Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies. Includes links to favorite public safety and emergency rescuers and product manufacturers and safety companies that have facebook pages. Submit your pictures or just stay up-to-date on with fire, rescue, EMS and police photo galleries. Please add your public safety photo to the wall album — go direct to the Arlington Cardinal Emergencies Behind the Scenes photos. For a list of all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages, go to Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …
Help fund The Cardinal Arlingtoncardinal.com/sponsor