Photo by: John Dixon/The News-Gazette

A former head of the University of Illinois physiology department died Monday night as a result of a fire at his home at 605 W. Michigan Ave., U.

URBANA Former University of Illinois physiology department head William Sleator died after a blaze at his Urbana home early this week. He's the fifth person to die in a Champaign County residential fire in the last three months.

The period from Sept. 23 through today has been anomalous for fire-related deaths, which are typically few and far between in the area.

Mr. Sleator, 96, was pulled from the fire around 10:43 p.m. Monday. He was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana and pronounced dead later that night.

Nicholas Temperley, Mr. Sleator's brother-in-law, said the former professor moved to Urbana in 1969 to head the physiology department at the UI. Sleator has been incapacitated in recent years, Temperley said, and has been watched over by caretakers.

Mr. Sleator has two surviving sons, Temperley said, and a daughter who preceded him in death. Mr. Sleator was also the father of William Sleator III, a well-known science fiction and children's author who died in 2011.

Firefighters were called to his home at 605 W. Michigan Ave. on Monday night. Initial reports indicate the fire was in the back side of the house. Part of the second floor collapsed onto the first about a half-hour after their arrival, and the fire was spreading to the attic. Urbana firefighters requested mutual-aid assistance from the Savoy Fire Department.

The fire's cause was still under investigation, Urbana Fire Marshal Phil Edwards said.

He reminded people to check on their elderly relatives or friends.

See the article here:
Professor is 5th local fire victim in 3 months