Fire Damages House in Wheeler

Mary Malloch stood watching as her home was burning, saying she was only gone for a matter of minutes.

Major damage was done Malloch's home in Wheeler Monday afternoon.  Malloch told us at the scene she left home about 3:45pm to go to Newton to the vet's to pick up her dog.  She was back at Wheeler about 4:10pm and saw the smoke.  She wondered who was doing some burning, and then saw that it was her home on fire.

Malloch said there were some things in the house that were irreplaceable, including genealogical research that dates back for centuries.  Her parrot also died in the fire.

Dieterich, Montrose, Wade Township and Watson firefighters were on scene, along with MABAS Division 54 equipment and Jasper County Ambulance.

No word on what caused the fire.

(FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVING ON SCENE GET READY TO HOOK UP ANOTHER LINE TO ADD TO THE WATER BEING PLACED ON THE HOUSE TO KEEP DOWN THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE)