1 injured in La Salle high-rise fire

A male resident of the La Salle high-rise was taken to a local hospital with injuries suffered in an early-morning fire Saturday at the La Salle high-rise.

The La Salle Fire Department said the fire was reported at 6:32 a.m. Saturday on the eighth floor of 1020 First St., the west tower. There, a lone occupant was rescued from a burning apartment and taken to OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa.

Fire Chief Jerry Janick reported at 12:15 p.m. there still was no updated on the male, whose name has not yet been released, nor a second person injured during the evacuation. Janick said he still is collecting information, but preliminary reports suggest a person fell and suffered injuries that were not deemed serious.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal dispatched an investigator and the findings are pending, but Janick said the fire is not deemed suspicious.

“It appears to be accidental at this time,” Janick said.

At least six fire and EMS companies responded after La Salle Fire activated the box alarm. Janick said the fire was under control within 20 minutes. Evacuated residents were to be returned to their units, he said, as these sustained limited if any damage.