Three women in their 60s and 70s die in Rogers Park building where residents complained of heat

Three women were found dead Saturday in a Rogers Park senior housing facility that the local alderman said lacked air conditioning.

Throughout the day, the three women — 68, 72 and 76 years old — were discovered unresponsive at the James Sneider Apartments, located in the 7400 block of N. Rogers Ave., Chicago police said. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

The deaths followed days of unseasonably warm temperatures.

In a video posted to social media, Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th, said residents started to complain about the heat Thursday, but management had not turned on air conditioning. Portable units were set up in a community room.

“From being in those units, it’s so hot,” Hadden said in the video. “We’ll be following up to hold the folks accountable who could have done something differently to prevent this tragedy.”

The medical examiner’s office has not yet ruled on the cause of death, and police said foul play wasn’t suspected.

The James Sneider Apartments are managed by the Hispanic Housing Development Corp., which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

By Saturday evening, Chicago fire officials said the temperature in the building had decreased and cool air was being blown throughout the facility. The Chicago Fire Department carried out well-being checks throughout the building, officials said, and a cooling bus was available to residents.