An elderly woman has died after she was flown to the hospital after she fell down a staircase at her home near McHenry last week, the coroner’s office said.
The Nunda Rural Fire Protection District and Cary Fire Protection District responded around 3:35 p.m. Friday to the 1800 block of West Fargo Avenue in unincorporated McHenry.
Nunda Rural Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said crews received a report of a fall victim who was injured.
Paramedics arrived and located an elderly woman at the bottom of a staircase.
She had fallen down approximately nine steps, Vucha said. The woman had suffered serious injuries in the fall.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office identified her as Marcella Nichols, 73, of McHenry.
A LifeNet medical helicopter was requested due to the severity of Nichols’ condition, Vucha said.
Nichols was transported by ambulance to the LifeNet helipad in McHenry.
She was then transferred to the helicopter crew and was airlifted to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for further treatment.
“We appreciated the support from the Cary Fire Protection District, who assisted our crews on scene and helped ensure a smooth and coordinated response,” Vucha said.
The coroner’s office said this week that Nichols, who lived in the residence where the incident occurred, died in the hospital later Friday evening.
A preliminary coroner’s investigation showed Nichols died as a result of head trauma consistent with falling down the stairs.