Anniversary of Tragic Downtown Fire in Rochelle

ROCHELLE — On Dec. 27, 1950, Firefighter Kenneth Wendt of the Rochelle Fire Department died in the line of duty while battling a blaze in downtown Rochelle. The fire began in the basement of a commercial building and collapsed while Wendt was inside. Firefighters from ten area departments battled the fire for more than twelve hours in sub-freezing temperatures. Two commercial buildings, including five second-story apartments, were destroyed, leaving fourteen residents homeless. Wendt, a deputy sheriff for Ogle County and a full-time driver for the Railway Express Agency, had served with the Rochelle Fire Department for fifteen years. Rochelle officials and the community continue to honor Wendt’s sacrifice, remembering him as “Never Forgotten and Always in our hearts.”