Fire Does Major Damage to Apartment Building in Effingham; Fire Rekindled This Morning

What appears to have been a grease fire did major structural damage to an apartment building in Hillside Apartments Sunday afternoon. The fire rekindled this morning.

The call came right about 4pm Sunday at 1618 Hillside Drive. It's one of several apartment buildings in an area by the Lutheran Cemetery northwest of Culver's. 

Effingham Fire Chief Brant Yochum said the structural damage was on the second floor on the north side of the building, but said there was smoke and water damage throughout both floors of the building. The chief said one of the occupants jumped from the building, but was not injured. Firefighters assisted two other individuals out of the building. Two occupants were taken to the ER at HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham for treatment of smoke inhalation.

The fire was brought under control about a half hour after it was reported, but firefighters were still on scene until 7:30pm. The Sunday damage was estimated at $750,000.

Fire crews from Effingham, Teutopolis, Shumway, Dieterich, Montrose, Watson and Altamont were on scene, along with Effingham city police, Effingham County Sheriff's Office, RuralMed EMS and Effingham City EMA. A fire investigator has been called in to assist in the aftermath of the incident.

Effingham City EMA Coordinator Larry Thies worked with 18 people displaced by the fire. Red Cross assisted in that work. 

The fire rekindled shortly after 5am today, doing additional damage. Firefighters cleared the scene at 7am. No injuries were reported.

(THE SCENE AT THE REKINDLE THIS MORNING)