Tragic Apartment-Fire Fatality in St. Charles Is Reminder for Fire Safety
Residents throughout Kane County are mourning the loss of a 60-year-old St. Charles man who died Sunday in a residential apartment fire at 104 S. Third Ave.
The Kane County Coroner’s Office identified the man as David Hawksley, 60, of St. Charles. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
According to a report from the St. Charles Fire Department, firefighters arrived at the scene around at 7:32 a.m. Sunday and saw smoke billowing from the second-story windows. Firefighters were able to remove a man from the upstairs apartment unit to waiting paramedics, but paramedics confirmed that the man had died at the scene.
Firefighters were able to control the fire in about 15 minutes, reports said. No other people were hurt. Damage to the building was estimated at $50,000.
The tragic news also serves as a reminder to Kane County residents to be especially careful this time of year to the dangers of residential structure fires.
Fire Is Everyone’s Fight
Fire Is Everyone’s Fight™ is a national effort led by the U.S. Fire Administration to lower the number of home fires and home fire injuries in America. Along with USFA and partner organizations across the country, the fire community is speaking out with a unified message of fire prevention and safety to the public. The goal is to change how people think about fire and fire prevention.
Statistics on Winter Fires
- 905 people die in winter home fires each year.
- More than $2 billion in property loss occurs from winter home fires.
- 67 percent of winter fires occur in one- and two-family homes.
- Cooking is the leading cause of all winter home fires.
- 5 to 8 p.m. is the most common time for winter home fires.
Sources: National Fire Incident Reporting System 2009-2011, U.S. Fire Administration, city of St. Charles
Read More
- Daily Herald: One killed in St. Charles house fire
- Kane County Chronicle: St. Charles firefighters pull dead man from burning home
