Algonquin woman rescued from house fire dies
A woman rescued Thursday afternoon from a burning home in Algonquin has died, according to authorities.
Crews from the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District responded to a house fire about 3 p.m. Thursday on Alice Lane.
Algonquin police on Saturday confirmed they are investigating the death of the woman, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner as 59-year-old Barbara Yerkes, who lived there. A report from the medical examiner's office lists Yerkes as having died at 9:03 a.m. Friday at Loyola University Medical Center.
Yerkes lived alone in the home and was the only person present when the fire started, according to Ryan Markham, deputy chief of operations for Algonquin police.
Firefighters responding to the ranch-style home encountered heavy fire in the front of the house. They found a woman, who appeared to be in her 50s or 60s, in the rear of the home. She was taken to Northwestern Huntley Hospital with life-threatening injuries and was later transported by helicopter to Loyola University Medical Center.
Markham said a police investigation is standard in any death that isn't obviously from natural causes. As part of that, investigators typically attend the autopsy, which is expected to be Sunday or Monday, he added.
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District, Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and Algonquin police.
As of Saturday morning, there is nothing overtly suspicious regarding the fire and foul play is not suspected, Markham said.