Man found dead after house fire extinguished in Joliet Township ID’d, officials say​on April 18, 2025 at 4:52 am

JOLIET TOWNSHIP, Ill. (WLS) — A man who was found dead after a house fire was extinguished Wednesday in the south suburbs has been identified.

The fire broke out at a home in the 500 block of Pontiac Street in Joliet Township, the East Joliet Fire Protection District said.

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Firefighters responded to the house that was fully engulfed in flames around 4:30 p.m., officials said. The fire was extinguished just before 5:30 p.m.

While investigating the fire, first responders found a man’s body on the first floor of the home, officials said. He was pronounced dead around 6 p.m.

The deceased man was later identified as 54-year-old Leonard Young of Joliet Township, the Will County Coroner’s Office said.

Young’s exact cause of death will be determined after an autopsy, officials said.

No other injuries were reported.

The Illinois Fire Marshall and Will County Sheriff’s Deputies are investigating the fire and the death.

No further information was immediately available.