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Chicago man charged in deadly arson attack at Bridgeport home

By and Maggie Duly
Published  June 17, 2024 1:46pm CDT
Bridgeport
FOX 32 Chicago

Chicago man charged in deadly arson attack

A Chicago man was charged after a deadly arson attack at a Bridgeport apartment over the weekend.

CHICAGO - A Chicago man was charged after a deadly arson attack at a Bridgeport apartment over the weekend.

Cordale Nichols, 37, was arrested on Saturday just an hour after he threw "an incendiary device" through the window of a row house in the 3100 block of South Green Street.

Chicago police said 54-year-old Charnette Walker and a 12-year-old girl were inside the home when it caught fire around 2:21 a.m. Walker was pronounced dead on the scene.

The child was transported to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.

Woman killed, child injured in arson attack on Bridgeport apartment

A woman was killed, and a child was injured after someone intentionally set their South Side apartment on fire early Saturday morning.

Nichols was arrested a few blocks away from Walker's home, in the 2900 block of South Halsted Street.

Charnette's daughter, Charquandra, spoke with FOX 32 and said her mother's home was set on fire with her daughter inside, in retaliation for ending a bad relationship hours earlier.

She said an argument broke out between her and her ex-boyfriend before he threatened her.

Cordale Nichols (Chicago Police)

"I just got tired and broke up with him. I didn't want to be with him no more. I wanted to come back home with my mom and daughter and he did this to me," Charquandra said.

Neighbors brought their mattress outside to help Charquandra's mother escape the fire, but relatives said she was too scared to jump after having knee surgery. She later died after being trapped inside.