Chicago Firefighter’s Wife and 3 Children Die in a House Fire That Happened While He Was on Duty

A Chicago firefighter was on duty when his home caught fire and claimed the lives of his wife and three children. 

Walter Stewart was working on March 7 when he heard that a fire had broken out in his family’s home over the work radio, according to Ignite the Spirit Chicago.

Stewart rushed home to find his three children in critical condition and had to perform CPR on his wife, according to CBS News.

All four of the injured family members suffered from smoke inhalation and succumbed to their injuries since the fire, CBS News reported. 

Stewart’s son Ezra, 7, was pronounced dead on March 8. His wife, Summer, 36, died March 9, and his two other children, Emory, 2, and Autumn, 9, both died March 10, according to CBS News. 

“We remember Walter's wife and children as beautiful, vibrant, and loving people who brought joy to all those around them,” said Ignite the Spirit. “Summer was a devoted wife and mother, whose love for her family knew no bounds. Ezra, Autumn, and Emory were bright, curious, and full of life, with endless potential ahead of them.”

Stewart made the decision to have his deceased loved ones donate their organs in a "selfless act of kindness," Ignite the Spirit said. 

The Cook County Medical Examiner has not yet finalized the autopsy results and the investigation into how the fire started is ongoing, CBS News reported.

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