One person is dead and five others were injured after a two-alarm fire overnight Monday at a west-side apartment building.
The fire broke out just after 11 p.m. Monday at an eight-unit building (a converted home) in the 600 block of West Market Street. A 62-year-old man was found dead inside one of the units, officials said.
The building is a total loss, said Bloomington Fire Department spokesperson Eric Davison. Most of the roof appeared to be destroyed, with the upper floor exposed, as of Tuesday morning.
In a statement, Davison said crews responded to reports of a fire just after 11 p.m. Monday night. Several residents were gathered outside the building and crews received "conflicting reports" as to whether everyone who lived in the building had evacuated. Additional units from the Normal Fire Department and Bloomington Township Fire Department were dispatched to assist.
After making initial entry into the building, crews were forced to exit the building and switch to "defensive tactics" based on the conditions inside. Firefighters were unable to access the third floor of the building because the staircase had been burned away.
Using hand lines and an aerial apparatus, crews were able to bring the fire under control and re-enter the structure. At approximately 2:20 a.m. Tuesday, crews located a deceased resident in his apartment. The McLean County coroner's office has identified the 62-year-old man, whose name is being withheld pending family notification.
Five other residents were transported to hospitals with injuries. No further information is available. According to the statement, the Red Cross has been made aware that eight individuals have been displaced by the fire and will require assistance.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. No damage estimates have been made.
Davison told WGLT that no firefighters were injured.
