Fire Damages Effingham Apartment

Effingham firefighters were called to an apartment fire at 7pm Tuesday.

The fire occurred at 300 West Virginia. When firefighters arrived, they found a large amount of smoke pushing out the first floor of a two-story four-unit building. When firefighters entered, they encountered a fire in the kitchen of the two-bedroom apartment. 

(AN EFFINGHAM FIREFIGHTER MAKES SURE THE FIRE IS OUT IN THE KITCHEN OF AN APARTMENT ON VIRGINIA AVENUE TUESDAY EVENING)

Firefighters quickly gained control and extinguished the fire, confining it to the room of origin. Effingham Fire Chief Bob Tutko credited the quick action of two neighbors who lived in an upstairs unit, Devin Wolfert and Jesse Barnes, who entered the apartment prior to the firefighters arrival and helped the three apartment occupants to safety, knocking down the fire with a commercial grade fire extinguisher.

Chief Tutko said Wolfert and Barnes were to be commended for their life-saving actions and will be formally recognized by the fire department with a Citizens Commendation Award.

The fire was ruled accidental since it was determined that a pan of hot oil was left unattended on the stove and ignited kitchen cabinets and other kitchen-related items. The damage is estimated at $10,000. A child who lived in the unit was unharmed. An adult male and an adult female were transported by Abbott EMS to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor burns and smoke inhalation.