Fire Destroys Commercial Building in Rockford

A large fire destroyed a two-story vacant commercial building in Rockford just before 7 p.m. Tuesday in the 2400 block of Charles Street.

According to a press release, the Rockford Fire Department found heavy black smoke coming from the rear of the black building upon arrival at the scene.

The department's first team was only able to advance 15 feet into building before encountering "a large amount of clutter and intense heat."

A second alarm was called five minutes later. A third alarm followed five minutes after that. A total of 58 firefighters responded to the scene.

According to the Rockford Fire Department, crews of firefighters rotated battling the blaze to avoid overheating. One firefighter suffered severe nausea. He was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and later released.

The building was deemed a total loss with damaged estimated at $300,000. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.