Police say careless use of smoking materials and possible narcotics use caused a fatal fire in man's fourth floor motel room that caused him to jump -- reportedly landing on his head -- Sunday afternoon on the West Side.
Kimmy Buford, 46, was pronounced dead at 4:50 p.m. Sunday at the Stein Institute, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
Buford's home address was near Harlem and Armitage avenues, but he was a resident in room 421 of the hotel at 4507 W. Washington Blvd., according to police Bomb & Arson Section Sgt. Roger Elmer.
The fire started inside a single-occupancy motel room, Fire Media Affairs Chief Kevin MacGregor said. Flames were seen blazing outside the room's window about 4:05 p.m. Saturday, MacGregor said.
It appeared that the man's bed caught on fire due to careless use of smoking materials and also because he may have been using narcotics, Elmer said. Buford jumped to escape the fire and smoke.
"It looks like he might have been unable to breathe in there, so he opened the window, which could have caused a smoke explosion,'' Elmer said.
Buford landed on his head and suffered head and leg fractures when he jumped, according to a Harrison District police report.
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