STERLING, Ill. — One of the tenants is "presumed deceased based on a police investigation of the incident." The victim has been identified as Juan Antonio "Tony" Anaya, 62, of Sterling, according to a press release from the City of Sterling on July 10.
A second tenant who jumped from the third floor of the building to escape the fire has been identified as Kimberly Johnson. She remains in critical care at a nearby hospital but is in stable condition, according to the release.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
E. 3rd Street will remain closed between 1st and 5th avenues "due to the ongoing investigation, current condition of the building and forthcoming recovery of the victim and demolition," according to the release.
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The city of Sterling closed off E 3rd Street, or Route 2 east, between 1st and 5th avenues Friday morning due to "an ongoing fire investigation and potential collapse," according to a city press release.
First responders arrived at 406 E 3rd Street at 2:24 a.m. on Friday for a reported structure fire on the third floor of the building. Three people escaped upon arrival.
Two residents are unaccounted for. Sterling Police ask anyone that may have contact with residents of the building to contact them at (815) 632-6640.
The building is still under investigation, and the facade has the potential to collapse. E 3rd Street will remain closed until the area can be secured and the building stabilized.
One woman leaped from a third-story window. She was transported to CGH Medical Center and later airlifted to St. Anthony Hospital in Rockford for her injuries. Her name has not been released at this time, and her current condition is not known.
A man and a girl escaped to a roof next door and were rescued there by firefighters. They have been transported to CGH Medical Center to treat minor injuries and smoke inhalation. They have since been released.
What about the structural complaint made on June 6?
News 8 spoke to Sterling resident Rick Koch, who had sent a complaint to the city about 406 E 3rd Street on June 6. He was concerned about the structural integrity of the building, specifically the façade, and said he never heard back from the city.
City Manager Scott Shumard said the cause of the fire was still under investigation, but assured News 8 that "it has absolutely nothing to do with the façade complaint that was lodged on June 6."
The building owner was called into a meeting about the non-structural building façade issue by the city on May 3, with a follow-up meeting with the city's building department scheduled for June 7, according to Shumard.
The city called the owner for an update on June 15. The owner said he had reached out to a contractor. In another follow-up call on June 23, the owner said the contractor would finish his report over the next few weeks.
No press conference has been planned, as the city is waiting for more information from state and federal investigators about the cause of the fire. The site is being preserved for continued investigation, according to Shumard.
Two of the three surrounding buildings are vacant. Residents were moved from the third building, which has four units.
The American Red Cross is assisting displaced residents.
News 8 will update this news story as more information is made available. Download our app and subscribe to our YouTube channel for updates.