NORTH SIDE -- A 91-year-old North Side woman died
Wednesday after she accidentally set herself on fire while smoking a
cigarette, officials said.
Valentine Casey was pronounced dead at 8:20 a.m. in Loyola University
Medical Center, Maywood, a Cook County medical examiner's spokesman
said.
The fire broke out at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 6100 block
of North Sheridan Road, Chicago police spokesman Carlos Herrera said.
A witness who identified herself as Casey's caretaker said she was in
the shower when she smelled smoke, Herrera said. The caretaker jumped
out of the shower and discovered Casey on fire, Herrera said.
The caretaker told police she had seen Casey smoking a cigarette
earlier that evening. Casey suffered burns to about 30 percent of her
body, Herrera said.
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