Joliet Woman Dies In Far West Side Arson, Grandson Arrested

JOLIET, IL — Four Joliet Fire Stations responded to a Friday afternoon house fire on the city's far west side that left an 87-year-old woman dead and Joliet Police investigators pursuing a criminal investigation surrounding the suspected arson. On Saturday, the Joliet Police Department announced that 32-year-old William Vera, who lived at the address of the fire, has been charged with aggravated arson, a serious felony crime.

Vera is the grandson of the fire victim, police officials revealed. He was booked into the Will County Jail on Friday night and he remains in custody awaiting a hearing to set his bail.

Deputy Fire Chief Greg Blaskey told Joliet Patch on Saturday that fire stations 10, 9, 8 and 7 responded to the burning structure at 1906 Glacier Ridge Drive, which is near Theodore Street, at 1:30 p.m.

When fire engines arrived, crews learned that someone was still trapped inside. Joliet firefighters went into the burning house and located the 87-year-old woman on the second floor, Blaskey said. She was severely burned, and transported in critical condition, he added.

An ambulance rushed the woman to St. Joe's Hospital and a helicopter flew her to the Loyola Medical Center in Maywood. However, the woman died several hours later from her injuries, Blaskey said.

A home health caregiver was inside the house at the time of the blaze and that person made it out safely, he said. A third person left the house prior to the arrival of the fire trucks, Blaskey said.

"During the course of the investigation, officers became aware that Vera, the grandson of the victim, had also been in the residence at the time of the fire but was no longer on scene," Joliet Police informed Patch.

Joliet Police found Vera in the 7100 block of Caton Farm Road and he was brought to the station for questioning. "Detectives were able to determine that Vera had purposively set the fire inside the residence and left prior to emergency personnel arrival," police said.

Will County Jail records listed Vera as living at the same Plainfield area address as where the fire occurred.

At this stage, investigators from the Joliet Fire Department, Joliet Police Department, ATF and the State Fire Marshal's Office are involved in the active investigation.

The fire on Glacier Ridge Drive was determined to be intentionally set, Blaskey told Patch.

"It is unlivable," he said, adding that the next door house at 1904 Glacier Ridge also sustained exterior damage because of the radiant heat caused by the fire.