Home / Disasters and Accidents / Northlake Fire Claims Two Sisters-in-Law in Tragic Blaze
Northlake Fire Claims Two Sisters-in-Law in Tragic Blaze
25 Feb
Summary
- Two adult women died after being trapped in a fully engulfed house fire.
- Victims identified as Susan Palos, 65, and Maricarmen Wilkerson, 63.
- Firefighters issued a 'mayday' call during challenging rescue efforts.

Two women have died following a severe house fire that occurred on West Drive in Northlake, Illinois. The fire department received the report at approximately 1:25 a.m. local time on Monday, February 23rd. Responding officers found the residence fully engulfed in flames.
Firefighters successfully removed two adult women from the burning structure; both were unconscious but breathing at the time. Susan Palos, 65, a resident of the home, was taken to Loyola Hospital and later pronounced deceased. Her sister-in-law, Maricarmen Wilkerson, 63, of Chicago, was transported to Gottlieb Hospital and also died.
The fire presented considerable challenges for emergency responders, with some firefighters requiring rescue from the second floor after issuing a 'mayday' call. The investigation into the cause of the blaze is currently ongoing, and no other individuals were found inside the home.




