An early-morning fire damaged several downtown buildings in Prophetstown, Illinois.
Rock Falls Fire Captain Dave Northcutt says eight buildings are a "total loss." The fire broke out on Washington Street. Firefighters think the blaze started at Cindy Jean's Restaurant and quickly spread.
The woman who owns the restaurant, Cindy Jean Erickson, lives upstairs. She was able to get out of her home okay.
Fire crews from throughout Whiteside County responded to the report of a fire at around 2 a.m. Monday. Crews from as far away as Camanche, Iowa were on the scene.
Fire crews say the fire spread to at least six other buildings on the same block. The Historical Society building was damaged in the blaze, too. There are also more apartment buildings to the south of the restaurant.
No injuries were reported. Crews say everyone from the other apartment buildings escaped.
Firefighters were forced to pump water from the Rock River after they ran out of water to fight the blaze. A boil order was issued for all of Prophetstown until further notice.
