CFD paramedic found dead in Mt. Greenwood blaze; death investigation underway

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago Fire Department paramedic and former Hometown, Ill., firefighter was found Thursday in a home on fire in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood on the Far South Side.

Fire officials identified the victim as 28-year-old Robert Spoon and said he had been a paramedic with CFD for two and a half years and a firefighter in Hometown for 10 years.

Neighbors said Spoon was the friend of the house's owner, who is a CFD firefighter and was not home at the time of the fire. He said all he knew about the victim was that he would be staying at the home in the 11000-block of St. Louis Avenue for a few weeks.

John Kotan was in his backyard when the fire first broke out around 3:30 p.m.

"Huge flames coming out of the front window," Kotan said. "There was debris, you could smell the smoke and the fire right away."

Spoon was found in the basement of the home after fire crews responded to the blaze.

"They brought a man out on one of the fire department, one of the wheeled stretchers, he didn't look too good," Kotan said.

He was taken to Christ Medical Center in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead, the fire department and Cook County medical examiner's office said.

A fire department source confirmed Spoon had suffered a traumatic injury unrelated to the fire.

Sources told ABC7 Eyewitness News Spoon was found fatally shot.

"It's sad, just sad. A sad day for Mount Greenwood, that's for sure," said Joan Shaw, neighbor.

Chicago police are conducting a death investigation, and the Arson Unit is also conducting an investigation. No official cause for the fire has been released.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.