A house fire in Crete early Wednesday morning killed a 71-year-old man, two Monee Elementary School students and a Crete-Monee High School student, school and fire officials said.
Firefighters were called to the one-story home on Chalet Court at about 1 a.m. and tried to search the home but withdrew due to “rapidly deteriorating conditions” including heavy fire and a partial roof collapse, according to a village news release.
They brought the fire under control in about 40 minutes and once conditions allowed entered the building to find the man and three students dead.
The Will County coroner’s office Wednesday afternoon identified the man as 71-year-old Walter Palmer. The coroner said all four victims died as a result of the fire. Autopsies were performed but the final cause and manner of death will be determined after police and toxicology reports are reviewed, the office said.
Susan Santelik, whose home is nearby on Chalet Lane, said she remembers admiring Palmer’s landscaping after moving to the neighborhood about a decade ago.
“The gentleman had the most meticulous, beautiful lawn out there,” Santelik said.
As someone who enjoys gardening herself, she joked she sometimes felt jealous watching him proudly drive his John Deere lawn mower around.
“I don’t care if the grass didn’t need to be mowed, but he was out there doing it anyway,” she said. “I envied the man.”
Santelik said she spoke with Palmer’s nephew Wednesday morning and he told her that Palmer eventually stopped tending to his lawn after experiencing health issues. She said she was surprised to hear that three children were staying at the house, as she hadn’t seen them around the neighborhood before.
Santelik said she heard a popping sound outside of her bedroom at the time of the fire but wasn’t aware the house was burning.
“I’m just at a loss for words as to what could’ve happened,” she said.
Crete-Monee School District 201-U in a news release said the district community is devastated by the loss of three of its students.
“We are all grieving together, and we will do everything we can to support our students, staff and families in the days ahead,” the news release said. The district said students will have access to support from counselors, social workers and other support staff.
The district did not share the students’ names or other information, citing respect for the family’s privacy.
“We will continue to communicate as we are able to do so, including sharing information about available support and opportunities for our community to come together to care for one another,” the release stated. “In the meantime, please join us in keeping the victims and their loved ones in our thoughts.”
The Crete release said the cause of the fire is being investigated by the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System fire investigation team, the Crete Police Department and the Will County coroner’s office.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
