Fire strikes again in Belvidere

By Kathryn Menue
Editor
BELVIDERE – With not even a week gone by since the last fire in the City of Belvidere, another structure caught fire early on Sunday, March 6.
At an apartment complex located at 137 S. State St. in Belvidere, a structural fire took root on the second floor of the apartment building at 4:07 a.m.
“Firefighters were notified of the fire by one of the building occupants who came to the fire station and knocked on the back door,” Belvidere Fire Chief Al Hyser said in an incident report. “Firefighters were just returning from a medical call then they responded to the structure fire.”
When the Belvidere Fire Department arrived at the scene, first responders could see “heavy smoke and flames” protruding from the second floor of the apartment building.
The firefighters responded to the scene and extinguished the flames; however, the process came with some difficulties.
“Fire personnel extinguished the main body of the fire in the room of origin.” Chief Hyser reported. “Due to numerous remodeling in the building, which was constructed in the 1880s, the fire found its way into compartments and voids, which was time consuming for extinguishment.”
Since the fire presented challenges, the Belvidere Fire Department took aid from Boone County Fire District II, Marengo Fire Department, as well as Lifeline, and EMA.
The extinguishing process took four engines, one ladder, one fire chief, and 20 firefighters.
The fire started due to oily rags being dried in one of the unit’s dryers. The estimated cost of loss is $10,000 to $15,000.
However, everyone managed to safely exit the building without injury. Firefighters were also able to extinguish the fire without injury.