Some Civic Plaza 1 residents returning to their Rock Falls high rise

ROCK FALLS – The elevator is fixed, the alarm system is functional once more, and that means half of Civic Plaza 1′s residents are moving back into the least-fire-damaged floors – 6, 7, 8 and 9 – Whiteside County Housing Authority Executive Director Chuck Adams said Monday morning.

Forty-eight of the buildings’ residents live on its top floors, which sustained only minor smoke damage in the fire March 5 that claimed the life of Eunice Karr, 59. The fire began in her fifth-floor apartment, fire officials said.

The rest of the residents will remain in one of four local hotels or motels until the fire, water or smoke damage to their units is repaired, which “is going to take a little more time,” Adams said.

Eighth-floor resident Sherri L. McClaren was one of the people who got to return home Monday morning.

“I’m really excited, I just wish everyone was able to move back,” she said.

McClaren, who has stayed with family and at a hotel since the March 5 fire, was happy with the response from the community.

“They really wrapped their arms around us.”

The Housing Authority will continue to pay for their food, lodging and other expenses, which costs $45,000 to $50,000 a week but will be reimbursed by its insurance policy, Adams has said. (The Housing Authority paid for week 1, Tri-County Opportunities Council paid for weeks 2 and 3, and now the ball is back in the Housing Authority’s court.)

A fund is set up at Sauk Valley Bank in Rock Falls to help care for the residents, many of whom are elderly and/or disabled, and all of whom are low-income. Authorities are asking that people stop dropping off food, clothing and other supplies for them, because the hotels are not equipped to handle the items, Adams said.

The cause of the fire, which began around 10:45 p.m., has not yet been determined, and autopsy results are not yet in.