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2 found dead in Oswego house fire and explosion identified

By
Sara Tenenbaum
Sara Tenenbaum
Senior Web Producer, CBS Chicago
Sara Tenenbaum is the Senior Digital Producer for CBS News Chicago, overseeing editorial operations and social media, and covering breaking, local and community news.
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Sara Tenenbaum,
Lauren Victory
Lauren Victory
Reporter
Lauren joined CBS News Chicago in May 2016 and is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
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Lauren Victory

/ CBS Chicago

Two people were found dead after a house explosion and fire in west suburban Oswego, Illinois Thursday evening.

Oswego fire officials said crews responded to a home in the 200 block of Fox Chase Drive North for a reported house explosion and reports of people trapped inside just after 5 p.m. Thursday.

When they arrived, crews found a two-story home that was engulfed in flame and had collapsed.

Fire officials said crews were able to largely strike out the fire, but a gas line continued to burn. NICOR responded and was able to clamp off the supply, allowing firefighters to bring the blaze fully under control. The burning gas line forced crews to halt their search for survivors for a time.

When firefighters were able to search the home, they found two bodies inside. The Kendall County Coroner's Office preliminarily identified the two as James Fitzmaurice, 64, and Virgie Fitzmaurice, 62.

The coroner's office said because of the conditions of the bodies, positive identification remains pending until further scientific study can be completed.

A neighbor said when she saw the aftermath of the explosion in the light of day, she was stunned.

"Everything is just rubble and wood, piles of wood so it's sad. It's sad to see a house there one day and a family that lives three houses down and now it's just a pile of nothing," said Roxanne Greenwall.

The single-family home sits directly across the street from Fox Chase Elementary School. Administrators wrote on Facebook that the school building did not appear to have any damage from the incident, but they will be doing a full walk-through inspection on Friday morning. The school is open Friday.

Oswego officials said the cause of the fire and explosion remain under investigation with the assistance of the Illinois Office of the state Fire Marshal, and the ATF. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

NICOR gas was also back at the home Friday, and a spokesperson said they send their prayers to the family. NICOR officials also said that if anyone smells rotten eggs in their home, they should leave immediately and call 911, because it could be a gas leak.

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