Body found as site of North Side fire demolished

(CHICAGO) A man’s body was discovered at the site of a North Side fire early Monday as workers began to demolish the home.

The two-and-and-half story house in the 1900 block of West Devon caught fire about 3:25 a.m. Sunday, according to Fire Media Affairs.

One man was rescued from the blaze and taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston in fair-to-serious condition, according to Fire Media.

It became obvious the building was in danger of collapsing, and firefighters were ordered out of the building, Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said.

The fire was extinguished at 6:12 a.m. and an emergency demolition was ordered, according to Fire Media. Workers arrived to demolish the home Monday morning.

“As they started moving debris, the body became visible,” Langford said.

An autopsy for the male, who has not yet been identified, was inconclusive Tuesday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

No one had reported a person unaccounted for after the fire, Langford said. The building appeared to have more occupants than it was designed for, he added.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Langford said.