Oak Lawn Woman Dies in Trailer Fire

OAK LAWN, IL — A woman removed from a burning trailer Tuesday morning has died, Oak Lawn Fire Chief George Sheets said. The fire broke out shortly before 10 a.m. Sheets said fire crews arrived within a minute of receiving the initial call.

Sheets said the woman was in her mid-60s to early 70s. WGN identified her as 64-year-old Diane Lynch. The fire chief said a caregiver arrived and saw that the mobile home, in Airway Mobile Home Park at 90th and Cicero, was on fire and called 911. Neighbors said the woman frequently received calls from social service agencies.

“A caregiver or meals-on-wheels saw the fire,” Sheets said. “We went in and found her on the hallway floor.”

Sheets said the woman was unresponsive, pulseless and not breathing. Firefighter/paramedics performed CPR and administered advanced life-support measures. The woman was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

“We made every attempt to resuscitate her all the way to the hospital but unfortunately she didn’t make it,” the fire chief said.

Tr. Terry Vorderer (Dist. 4) told Patch there was another fire in the same mobile home, apparently related to cigarette smoking.

The fire was contained to the one home, the cause of which remains under investigation. No other mobile homes were damaged by the blaze. Sheets said the fire was small and quickly extinguished.

~ Patch Editor Lorraine Swanson