5-Year-Old, Grandmother Die After Minooka House Fire

MINOOKA, IL — A 5-year-old boy and his 57-year-old grandmother died as a result of a house fire early Friday morning in rural Minooka. The Will County Coroner's Office said the remains of Waveland Fitch were recovered after the fire, in the 24500 block of South Bell Road.

Waveland was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:35 a.m. The child's grandmother was later pronounced dead at the hospital in Morris. Minooka Police Chief Justin Meyer told Patch that the fire broke out around 12:45 a.m. at the ranch-style house surrounded by farmland.

On Friday morning, Grundy County Coroner John W. Callahan said 57-year-old Minooka resident Susan Weber was pronounced dead at around 2 a.m. in the Morris Hospital emergency room.

Meyer said a 4-year-old child and the child's mother escaped the fire. Both are in good condition at the Morris hospital, the police chief said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Minooka Police Department and Illinois State Fire Marshal.

The fire was largely under control by around 2 a.m., but firefighters remained on the scene until 8:20 a.m. to ensure it was fully extinguished.

Fire companies from Minooka, Troy, Wilmington, Elwood, Plainfield, Morris, Coal City, Braidwood, New Lenox, Homer Township and Joliet assisted Minooka firefighters at the scene.

Autopsies were scheduled for Friday to determine the causes of death for the grandmother and grandson, officials said.

This is a developing story. Check back with Patch for updates.