Longtime Des Plaines teacher dies month after car explosion

Ron Lewis | Des Plaines Park District

(DES PLAINES) A longtime schoolteacher and park district worker from northwest suburban Des Plaines died last week of injuries he suffered a month earlier when a car exploded in his garage.

The explosion happened Nov. 4 in the garage of Ronald Lewis’ home in the 400 block of North 6th Avenue in Des Plaines, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The 52-year-old man was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead at 9:14 p.m. Dec. 14, authorities said.

An autopsy found he died of complications of burns and smoke inhalation from the explosion and ruled his death an accident. Des Plaines police could not immediately provide more details.

Lewis taught at Saint Mary School in Buffalo Grove for 25 years and worked for the Des Plaines Park District for more than 35 years, according to a family obituary and the district.

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