A 62-year-old man is dead after a house fire Tuesday on Old Galena Road near Chillicothe. It's the second fatal fire in the area in the past week.
Tuesday's fire happened around 4 p.m. in a home in the 16200 block of Old Galena Road, Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins said. One man was still inside the home when emergency responders arrived, but heavy smoke and fire prevented sheriff's deputies from entering, Watkins said.
Firefighters arrived and pulled the man from the home with serious injuries, Watkins said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. His name hasn't been released.
Peoria County investigators and the State Fire Marshal are investigating the incident and the cause of the fire.
"Our hearts ache for the family facing this unimaginable loss, and our thoughts are with them," Watkins said. "We’re also thinking of the first responders who showed up once again in the face of tragedy. This is the second fatal fire these same fire departments and deputies have had to confront within a week, and the emotional toll on everyone involved is heavy."
The other fire was at the nearby Pinewood Estates mobile home park. An 8-month-old baby died in that incident.
