Fire Does Major Damage to House in Stewardson

Fire has done major damage to a home in Stewardson.

Stewardson firefighters were called to the home of Cody Friese and Sabrina Haberland. The fire was in Cody's family home at 526 West South 4th Street, owned by his grandfather David Baumgarten. The house is located north across the street from Stewardson Cemetery.

Cody Friese said he was at home and smelled smoke. He searched throughout the house and found smoke in the attic on the north end of the house, then got out of the house and phoned authorities. Sabrina was in Effingham with her mother when she was notified of the fire. Firefighters have not had the chance to determine the cause of the fire.

Fire companies battled the situation for over an hour and then just after 2pm, fire burst through the upper story roof, leaving the majority of the house damaged by fire, smoke and water.

Firefighters were on scene from the Stewardson, Strasburg, Sigel, Shumway, Shelbyville and Windsor departments. Effingham supplied a chief to staff the Stewardson fire house in case of another fire.