Sterling Fire Department

Fire at 1501 First Ave. was contained in the attic.

Firefighters battled a house fire Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 1501 First Avenue in Sterling. Multiple departments responded to the scene including Sterling, Rock Falls, Dixon, Amboy, Morrison and Prophetstown.

Fire crews from Sterling, Rock Falls and Dixon fire departments responded to a residential structure fire late Monday night.

Fifteen fire departments, one from as far away as Clinton, Iowa, assisted in fighting the blaze that broke out in an outside pile of recycling remnants and took four hours to extinguish.

Fire officials say residents may experience low water pressure.

Forest Reeder, who was welcomed onto the department at the June 3 Sterling City Council meeting, stepped out of retirement to assume the role while the city looks for a permanent replacement following the recent retirement of former Sterling Fire Chief Michael Dettman.

Melissa Schultz, Haunted Haven’s owner, says she and her husband, Joseph Norton, discovered the fire. They had gone to the Haunted Haven barn Monday to pick up some tools and a lawn mower when they noticed smoke coming from the second floor.

Sterling and Rock Falls fire departments placed nearly two dozen buoys in the Rock River Wednesday, May 15, 2024. The departments took over the placement from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources several years back.

I really like days like this where the stories are diverse and one has to adapt to what is presented. Plus, there was a giant imaginary rabbit.

Sterling and Rock Falls firefighters were in the midst of training in Rock Falls when a call went out for a fire across town Wednesday, May 1, 2024.

Sauk Valley Media recognizes and salutes our first responders.