Mother of five ID’d as victim after Byron home destroyed by downed power line

BYRON — A 34-year-old mother of five has been identified as the woman killed over the weekend after a downed power line “electrified” her neighbors’ home, causing it to catch fire and burn to the ground.

Marlana McFarland, 34, was identified Monday by Ogle County Chief Deputy Coroner Jeanette Bennett as the victim found Saturday morning outside a home on the 100 block of West Third Street after firefighters responded to a possible electrocution and house fire.

At least one neighbor said McFarland was trying to help her neighbors at the time of her death.

The official cause of McFarland’s death still is pending, Bennett said.

Deputy Chief Tony Dinges said when Byron firefighters responded to the scene the entire home had been charged with electricity. Firefighters found McFarland, who had not yet been identified, on the ground outside the home.

Firefighters were unable to reach McFarland or fight the ensuing blaze until ComEd crews arrived to cut power to the home, Dinges said.

Once the power was shut down – which took approximately an hour – firefighters battled the blaze and saved other homes on the block. The home that had been electrified was a total loss displacing the family that lived there.

Sally Palen, a friend and neighbor, said Monday that McFarland was trying to help at the time of the accident.

“She saw the fire and ran out to try and put it out,” Palen said. “She was just trying to help.”

Dinges said he could not officially confirm what happened before McFarland’s death. “We think maybe she saw the fire in the gutter and was trying to put it out before the electrification,” he said.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the fire, Dinges said.

Palen is planning a candlelight vigil for McFarland in front of her home, also on the 100 block of West 3rd Street, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

“I only have 250 candles, so if someone is planning on coming I am asking them to bring their own candle if they can,” Palen said, noting that McFarland had 5 children, ages 12 to a newborn. “She was a wonderful lady. She loved gnomes so maybe if people want to bring gnomes we can put them on her porch.”

[ One person dead after Byron home is ‘electrified’ by downed power line ]

Heavy snow fell across the region early Saturday followed by brisk winds. Dinges said he thought the fallen line likely was due to the weather. The home that was destroyed was located a block north of Byron’s downtown, across the street from the city’s post office.

The entire downtown area, including homes and businesses along Illinois Route 2 two blocks south of the fire, were without power for several hours.

She saw the fire and ran out to try and put it out, She was just trying to help.”

—  Sally Palen, friend and neighbor of Marlana McFarland

Sixteen area fire departments assisted at the scene in addition to the Byron Police Department, Ogle County Sheriff’s Department, Byron Public Works and the Ogle County Coroner’s Office.

A GoFundMe page for McFarland and her family has been established at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/family-of-marley-mcfarland

Donations also are being accepted for the family whose home was destroyed. They evacuated safely.

Micki Hoefle, the human resource manager at Meridian School District, said she is accepting donations for the family at her home, 3 Highland Court, Stillman Valley. For additional information on that funding effort, call Hoefle at 815-988-7361.

Two bank accounts have been established at Holcomb Bank in Byron where donations for both families can be sent.