Death of 86-year-old woman is the 9th cold-related fatality this winter

An 86-year-old woman has died of cold exposure, marking the ninth Cook County death related to cold temperatures so far this winter.

Irine Hyzny, who lived in Bridgeview, was pronounced dead Thursday at her home with a primary cause of death of “environmental cold exposure,” according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Her secondary cause of death was cardiovascular disease, according to the medical examiner.

Hyzny’s death was considered accidental, as it was for the eight other people who have died since November at least partly because of the cold:

• On Jan. 19, Mary Savisky, 81, was at her home in the 9600 block of South Francisco Avenue when she was pronounced dead, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Savisky’s primary cause of death was cold exposure with heart disease listed as a secondary cause.
• On Dec. 14, a 23-year-old Oak Forest man died at his home in the 1100 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, according to the medical examiner’s office. He died of alcohol use and cocaine toxicity with a contributing cause listed as hypothermia due to environmental cold exposure.
• On Dec. 12, a 90-year-old man in the city’s South Shore neighborhood died in his apartment in the 7700 block of South Kingston Avenue, officials said. His primary cause of death was environmental cold exposure.
• On Dec. 6, a 38-year-old Chicago man died mainly of drug use, but hypothermia and cold exposure were a secondary cause of death, in the 9300 block of South Halsted Street in Washington Heights.
• On Nov. 28, a 68-year-old woman died of hypothermia, cold exposure and heart disease in the 6900 block of West 111th Street in the southwest village of Worth.
• Also on Nov. 28, a 54-year-old Des Plaines man died primarily of chronic alcoholism, with a secondary cause listed as hypothermia due to environmental cold exposure, according to the medical examiner’s office.
• On Nov. 1, a Milwaukee man died in Chicago in the 4700 block of South Talman Avenue in Brighton Park on the Southwest Side. The causes of his death were complications of chronic alcoholism, with a secondary cause of death being “probable cold exposure,” the medical examiner’s office said.
• The first cold-related death of the season was a 59-year-old man in the 700 block of North Avers Avenue in Humboldt Park, who died at his home Nov. 1, mainly of heart disease, with a secondary cause listed as “probable cold exposure” and recent cocaine use.

Chicago has faced bitter temperatures and several snow storms so far this season, and city officials from the Office of Emergency Management are disseminating information and tips for how to stay safe in the cold.

• Stay indoors as much as possible. Hang blankets over windows at night but let the sun shine in during the day. Cover cracks around doors with rugs, newspapers, towels or other material.
• If you have no heat, close off unneeded rooms and place towels or rags under the doors.
• If your water pipes freeze, shut off the water at the main source to minimize damage.
• When outside, avoid overexertion, such as shoveling heavy snow.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight warm clothing in several layers, and outer layers that are tightly woven, water repellent and hooded.