Elderly woman killed in Crest Hill fire
By Brian Stanley bstanley@stmedianetwork.com November 18, 2012 2:44PM
Lockport Township firemen check for hot spots at the scene of a fatal fire at 2309 Caton Farm Road Sunday morning, | John Patsch~For Sun-Times Media
Updated: December 20, 2012 6:25AM
CREST HILL — An elderly woman was killed in a suspicious house fire Sunday morning, authorities said.
Lockport Township fire Battalion Chief Frank Blaskey said it was 8:50 a.m. when the blaze was discovered at a ranch house in the 2300 block of Caton Farm Road.
There were flames coming from the front of the house when crews arrived, Blaskey said.
An off-duty fire lieutenant who had driven past tried to reach the victim before firefighters arrived but was unsuccessful, Blaskey said. Dorothy Dumyahn, 89, was found inside the house and was the only occupant. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The fire was put out in 15 minutes and caused heavy damage, Blaskey said.
Though he declined to elaborate, Crest Hill Deputy Police Chief Ed Clark said the fire is “suspicious” and the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force, which consists of detectives and evidence technicians from nearly every police department in the area, will investigate. An autopsy of Dumyahn is scheduled for Monday.
