Rochelle apartment fire leaves one dead, one injured

ROCHELLE – One person is dead and another injured after a two-alarm fire in a Rochelle apartment building Sunday, March 31.

The Rochelle Fire Department was dispatched to 322 S. Main St. about 6:30 p.m. in response to smoke and fire coming from a basement unit on the southeast corner of the building, according to a news release from the department.

Firefighters encountered an active fire when they entered the building, and the blaze was under control 18 minutes after their arrival, according to the release.

Names of the victims have not yet been released. The cause and origin of the fire have not been determined and are under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The building sustained an estimated $60,000 worth of damage, according to the release.

One victim was found inside the apartment near its door and was taken by a Rochelle ambulance to Rochelle Community Hospital. That person later was pronounced dead.

The second victim was found on the third floor of the building, was assisted out of the building and taken by a mutual-aid ambulance to Rochelle Community Hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries.

The Rochelle Fire Department was assisted at the scene by Rochelle police; Ogle-Lee (Flagg Center Hillcrest, Creston, Steward), Ashton, DeKalb, Lynn-Scott-Rock, Oregon and Stillman Valley fire departments; the State Fire Marshal’s Office; Rochelle Municipal Utilities; Ogle County Emergency Management; the Ogle County Coroner’s Office; Rochelle Community Hospital; and the American Red Cross.

All responding units were in service for about 3½ hours.