ROCHELLE — A Rochelle man passed away due to injuries suffered at an apartment fire on Sunday evening in Rochelle, Rochelle Police Department Chief Pete Pavia said Wednesday. 

Brandon Dodrill, 40, of Rochelle, was a resident at 322 S. Main St. At 6:32 p.m. the Rochelle Fire Department was called to that address for the report of smoke in the basement of an apartment complex. Upon arrival by fire crews, smoke and fire were visible from the southeast corner of the building. An interior attack was conducted and entry was forced into the fire apartment. 

“Immediately upon entering the apartment, crews were met with active fire and had located a victim inside the apartment door,” a Tuesday night RFD press release said. “The engine company removed the victim and began life-saving resuscitation efforts. The victim was transported by Rochelle Ambulance to Rochelle Community Hospital and was later pronounced deceased.”

Pavia said the case is being treated as an accidental fire death and was due to “an unfortunate accident inside the apartment.” The fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. 

A second victim was located on the third floor and was assisted out of the building. The patient was transported by a mutual aid ambulance to Rochelle Community Hospital with minor injuries. There were no injuries to first responders. 

Arriving companies extinguished the fire and conducted searches of the building for fire extension and other victims. The fire reached the second-alarm level. Companies completed overhaul operations to fully extinguish the fire and no further extension was found. Ventilation was completed and the building was cleared of smoke. Tenants of the building were assisted by The Red Cross. 

RFD was assisted at the scene by RPD, the Ogle-Lee Fire Protection District stations of Flagg Center, Hillcrest, Creston and Steward; Ashton, DeKalb, Lynn-Scott-Rock, Oregon, Stillman, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Rochelle Municipal Utilities, Ogle County Emergency Management, the Ogle County Coroner’s Office, RCH, and The Red Cross.          

The cost of the damage from the fire is estimated to be $60,000. On Monday, RFD Lt. Jason Underwood said there was “substantial damage” to the apartment unit the fire took place in. Several residents were displaced due to the fire. Several residents stayed in the apartment building. There was some smoke damage to other portions of the apartment complex and some portions were unaffected by the fire.

Fire officials were on scene for a total of three hours and 36 minutes.