A fire in two-story home in Riverdale Sunday morning left a man dead, according to Riverdale fire Chief Jon Bruce.
Bernard Clepper, 81, died from thermal and inhalation injuries as a result of the fire at 17 E. 138th St., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
The Riverdale Fire Department was alerted to the fire at a single-family home at 6:01 a.m. Sunday, Bruce said. When crews arrived, they observed heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the home.
Five adults were able to evacuate on their own, Bruce said. However, crews were later informed Clepper was unaccounted for and had been sleeping in a second-floor bedroom, he said.
Primary and secondary searches were conducted and Clepper was located, Bruce said.
Riverdale firefighters along with surrounding mutual aid fire departments used several hose lines to enter the home and extinguish the fire, Bruce said.
One firefighter suffered minor burns and was treated at the scene, he said.
The Illinois State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, Bruce said. Clepper was transported to the medical examiner’s office, he said.
smoilanen@chicagotribune.com
