KENNEY - Residents were saddened to learn a Kenney man's body was found in the ruins of the Wildside Cabaret after Friday's early morning fire, but they weren't mourning the destruction of the controversial strip club.

"I'm sad about the person who was in the club, but I'm celebrating - everybody is," said Kenney village trustee Virginia Abshire.

William Hubble, 25, of Kenney was identified as the man whose body was found in the ruins. An autopsy on Friday showed he died of smoke inhalation, DeWitt County sheriff's police said.

The fire was reported by a motorist to the DeWitt County Sheriff's Department at 1:51 a.m. Friday. About 50 firefighters from Kenney and nine other fire departments battled the blaze in high winds throughout the night.

Kenney firefighter Jay Haynes said residents left a home just north of the club because of blowing embers. Illinois 54 was closed for several hours because of the fire.

No cause of the fire has been determined by local and state officials, who continued their investigation Friday.

Police did not say why Hubble was alone in the club after it closed.

Kenney officials battled the strip club for years in an effort to force owners to abide by the same rules as local taverns. Now that it is gone, residents expressed hope a different kind of business will replace it.

Club owner Michael McGuire was not available for comment.

A state law passed last year mandated such private clubs had to follow local ordinances, including requirements on mandatory insurance and closing times. State Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, sponsored the bill designed to help small villages deal with private clubs.

"The village wanted some control over the hours of operation and the ages of people who could enter," Mitchell said Friday. He said he regretted the way the issue was resolved for the village.

"It's sad this thing ended with a death," Mitchell said.

Before the fire, the club was not following the rules outlined by local officials, Abshire said.

"They were disobeying everything we wanted them to do," she said.

The village wanted Wildside owners to obtain a local license to operate the club, close at midnight and limit admission to people age 18 or older.

The fire was the main topic of conversation across the small community Friday morning. Abshire said her phone starting ringing at 6 a.m.

"We can't help but rejoice. It was a real eyesore to our community," she said.

The high-traffic location along the state highway would be a prime location for a convenience store, Abshire said.

State and local officials became more vocal in their objections to the club four years ago after several auto accidents - including two fatal ones - that involved customers either heading to or from the club.