McHenry man dies in apartment fire

A 77-year-old man died after he accidentally caught himself on fire while trying to light a cigarette inside his apartment early Thursday, McHenry Township Fire Protection District officials said.

Firefighters were called to the 16-unit apartment building on the 800 block of North Southgate Street in McHenry at 12:07 a.m.

Upon arrival, firefighters encountered fire inside a second-floor unit near the end, Deputy Fire Chief Steve Spraker said.

The fire was extinguished within five minutes.

The unidentified man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Spraker said the man's 70-year-old wife escaped the home unharmed and told investigators that she was awakened by her husband yelling for help. She told authorities her husband was "visually impaired" and also suffered from mobility issues.

The man was on a couch, and investigators are unsure if his clothing, the couch or blankets ignited.

The woman told investigators she tried to extinguish the blaze with a blanket but was unsuccessful. Fearing she would be overtaken by the flames, she fled the unit into the hallway, Spraker said.

Spraker said the unit's smoke detectors worked, but the residence was not equipped with a sprinkler system. The common areas of the building did have sprinklers, and they were activated by the blaze, he noted.

The fire has been ruled accidental, Spraker said.

No damage estimate was available, but Spraker said the couple's unit sustained significant fire damage, while the unit below sustained water damage. They were both deemed uninhabitable, as were two other units adjacent to the fire-damaged residence because water had to be shut off.