Major Naperville fire deemed accidental

Fire investigators think that “smoking materials” most likely caused a Naperville blaze that engulfed a two-story Naperville house in late March where an 82-year-old woman was found dead.

The Naperville Fire Department released its findings Wednesday, which stated Lorraine Studin died of natural causes and not as a result of the fire.

The investigation team’s report found that the fire at 240 James Lane started on a chair in the family room — the same chair where Lorraine Studin’s body was found.

The Naperville Fire Department Fire Investigation Team deemed the fire accidental and the exact cause remains listed as “undetermined.”

Lorraine’s husband, Anthony Studin, was treated at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood for severe burns and remains at an area hospital recovering from his injuries, the fire department announced Wednesday.

The DuPage County coroner’s office said although Lorraine Studin suffered “overwhelming burns,” she died of natural causes.

Firefighters arriving at the scene the morning of March 24 found flames roaring from the rear of the building and heavy smoke throughout the house, authorities said.

The fire left the home uninhabitable, and damage was estimated to be in excess of $400,000, according to the Naperville Fire Department.