One fatality in morning apartment fire

Update 10/27/17 3:38pm

Ceasar R. Collins, 30, last of 808 Ridge, Apt. 215, DeKalb, was pronounced dead at 7:44am in the Emergency Room at Kishwaukee Hospital. Mr. Collins was found in his apartment by the DeKalb Fire Department when they responded to a report of smoke in his apartment.

The death is being investigated by the DeKalb Police Dept., DeKalb Fire Dept., along with the DeKalb County Coroner’s Office.

The DeKalb Fire Department responded to a report of an apartment fire at 808 Ridge Dr. at 06:25am on October 27th. When the initial engine arrived, crews found heavy smoke and heat coming from a one-bedroom apartment. The fire company made entry and quickly extinguished the fire.

During fire suppression, another fire company searched the apartment and discovered an unresponsive victim in the bedroom. The victim was removed from the structure, treated on-scene, and transported to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital where the victim was pronounced dead at 7:44 a.m.

One firefighter was transported to Northwester Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, was treated and released. The fire originated and was contained to the kitchen with the remainder of the apartment receiving heavy heat and smoke damage. The building was ventilated of smoke and dangerous gases. No other apartments in the building were affected. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the DeKalb Fire Investigators, DeKalb Police, and the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Assisting Agencies: Maple Park, Malta, Sycamore, Shabbona, and Cortland Fire Departments, Illinois State Fire Marshal, DeKalb Police, American Red Cross, DeKalb
County Coroner, Com Ed, and NiCor