UPDATED 1:30 p.m. FORREST -- A 24-year-old man from Fairbury has been identified as the firefighter who died during a house fire in Forrest on Tuesday night.
Brian J. Munz was pronounced dead in the emergency room of OSF Saint James-John W. Albrecht Medical Center in Pontiac, according to a statement issued by Livingston County Coroner Mike Burke.
The Fairbury fire department was draped in black bunting Wednesday as firefighters and state fire marshals continue to investigate the scene of the fire, which also caused minor injuries to another firefighter.
Friends and family of the owners of the Forrest home on the 300 block of West Watson Street assembled at the house Wednesday morning to wait and watch as investigators continuted their work.
Homeowner Todd Somers said today is a devastating.
"We are so thankful we were able to get our children out of the house," Somers said. "Our thoughts and prayers now are with the family of the firefighter."
Judy Somers said they had returned from a bicycle ride Tuesday evening when she smelled something odd.
"I turned off the washing machine thinking that was it but then went to the basement," Judy Somers said. "I opened the door to the basement and there was a lot of smoke. I got my husband and the kids and we left the house."
The couple has three children.
Todd Somers said they have lived in the brown, two-story house for more than 13 years. The home, in a quite old neighborhood with lots of older trees, is less than three blocks from Prairie Central's Upper Elementary School.
"The community support and the support from friends and family has been overwhelming," Todd Somers said. He added they are staying with family and they have homeowners insurance.
Steve Mason and Luke Hartigan from the state fire marshal's office said they will be conducting interviews of firefighters and other rescue personnel Wednesday morning and conducting an investigation inside the house.
Forrest Fire Chief Sam Schmidgall said the investigation likely will take most of Wednesday and possibly into Thursday.
The cause of the fire and how Munz died remains under investigation.
This story will be updated.
Sharon K. Wolfe and David Proeber contributed to this report.
Related: Illinois Firefighter Killed in House Fire
Funeral Information
The funeral for Firefighter Munz was held Saturday, July 26 at First United Methodist Church in Fairbury, Ill.
