$100,000 Damage Done by Fire at Bob's Salvage

Fire did approximately $100,000 damage at Bob's Discount at 1905 South Banker in Effingham Sunday night.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 10:16pm and upon arrival could see smoke inside the front windows. The fire had been largely contained by the business' sprinkler system, which firefighters say significantly limited fire spread and damage. Two water extinguishers were used to fully extinguish any remaining fire. Crews stayed on scene for over an hour to ventilate the building.

An investigation of the fire scene determined the fire to have been accidental. The bulk of the dollar value of damage was from smoke and water. Effingham City Dispatch and Effingham City Police Department assisted firefighters.

Effingham Fire Chief Brant Yochum said, "This incident underscores the critical importance of having a functioning sprinkler and alarm system in businesses. These systems not only provide early detection and suppression, preventing potentially catastrophic damage, but they also help protect the safety of occupants and responding firefighters."