Fire Destroys Farm Outbuilding Near Sigel

Fire destroyed a farm outbuilding near Sigel overnight.

Sigel Fire Chief Troy Althoff said they were summoned to the Greg McWhorter farm south and east of Sigel about 10pm Thursday. Althoff said the cause of the fire hasn't been fully determined, but believes it could have been electrical in origin. He said the owner had worked in the shop a good part of the day doing inventory, then later noticed the fire.

Althoff said the building was a wooden-type, pole barn structure. No one was injured in the incident.

Sigel and Neoga firefighters were dispatched initially, but then Sigel called a full still, which brought firefighters from Montrose and Teutopolis to the scene, while Shumway and Stewardson firefighters covered the Sigel station. Eventually, due to a lack of water in the area of the fire, a full box alarm was called, which sent Dieterich and Stewardson firefighters to the scene and Effingham and Lincoln Fire Protection District personnel to cover the station.

Althoff said the last of the firefighters were headed home about 1am today.