Fire and Smoke Does Major Damage to Teutopolis Banquet Hall

(LOOKING DOWN THE MAIN HALLWAY, SOUTH TO NORTH, AT THE TEUTOPOLIS BANQUET HALL)

Days after a major renovation had been completed, fire and smoke have done major damage to the Teutopolis Banquet Hall, the former Teutopolis Knights of Columbus Hall.

Banquet Hall Manager Craig Bierman said he was at the establishment setting up for an evening event when he spotted the smoke. He alerted firefighters and they called a box alarm when the smoke was seen outside the structure.

Teutopolis Fire Chief Tim McMahon said the fire damage was concentrated in the kitchen area as well as adjoining storage rooms and the main hallway. There was smoke damage throughout the structure.

(FIREFIGHTERS WORK ON THE ROOF OF THE TEUTOPOLIS BANQUET HALL. EARLY OBSERVERS SAID AT ONE POINT THE ROOFTOP UNITS LOOKED LIKE SMOKESTACKS AS THEY CARRIED SMOKE OUT OF THE BUILDING)

Bierman and some of the trustees of the Banquet Hall gathered outside the establishment to discuss where they go from here. One said the renovation work just completed last week cost around $125,000.

The Effingham County Pork Producers were scheduled to meet in the building tonight. That event has been relocated to the Effingham Event Center on West Fayette.

Teutopolis firefighters were assisted by fire companies from Effingham, Dieterich, Montrose, Shumway, Sigel and Watson, as well as by MABAS 54, the regional authority for fire departments in the area. Abbott EMS and Ameren Illinois also assisted at the scene, as well as the Effingham County Sheriff's Department.

(LOOKING INTO A MEETING ROOM ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE TEUTOPOLIS BANQUET HALL)

We talked with Craig Bierman about letting us know when upcoming events are rescheduled or relocated, and we'll pass along that information.