Marine veteran dies in West Side fire

CHICAGO — A marine veteran was killed Wednesday during a house fire on the West Side.

The fire happened Wednesday morning in the 1600 block North Mayfield. It was put out just before noon.

A neighbor told WGN News the man was a marine veteran who used a wheelchair.

“My mom screamed that his apartment unit was on fire,” neighbor Koya Scott said. “When I came outside I noticed that they weren’t paying attention to the first unit, they were more so on the second floor already, and I read to one of the fireman to tell them that there’s a disable vet on the first floor.”

It took firefighters around an hour and a half to get the blaze out. It’s unknown at this time if others lived in the two-flat and the deceased man’s identify is not available at this time.

A firefighter was hurt with a minor knee injury.