(UPDATE) Fire at Home South of Effingham

(A PHOTO & VIDEO FROM THE SCENE OF THE FIRE, COURTESY OF OUR ZAK DIETZEN)

A number of area fire companies Wednesday battled a fire at the Kenneth Stuckey home in Richmond Hills Subdivision, off the old state police blacktop east of Heartville.

Watson firefighters were called to the scene after a phone call from a passerby at 10:49am. Firefighters soon issued a box alarm for assistance from several area fire companies. A representative of the State Fire Marshal's Office was called to the scene to help determine the cause of the blaze. After examining the scene, the cause is being listed as undetermined.

Watson Fire Protection District Chief Darren Percival said the fire started somewhere in the garage area. A pickup truck inside the garage was destroyed as well as a camper parked outside the garage. Percival said Wednesday's brisk winds helped spread the fire across the house. He said, "the wind was a big factor."

The box alarm brought up to a dozen fire companies from across the area to the scene while others staffed the Watson station in case of another call.

Firefighters were on scene well into the afternoon, along with law enforcement and EMS personnel.