Early Morning Fire Destroys Home in Montrose

A Montrose family escaped injury in a fire that destroyed their home early Monday morning.

The Montrose Fire Depertment was called out at 3:50am Monday morning, to the home of Rodney Dein at 201 Willow Street in Montrose. When firefighters arrived, the fire was already shooting through the roof of the home. A full still was automatically called, which called in aid from Teutopolis, Dieterich and Sigel's fire departments.

Fire personnel were on scene until 7:15am, and have been called back to the home twice since then to put out "re-kindles", as Montrose Fire Chief Chris Overbeck put it, saying the construction of the home made it difficult to track down hotspots in the walls of the structure. A thermal imaging camera was used in subsequent trips to help eliminate the source of the fire.

Overbeck told us the home was destroyed by the blaze, with the cause determined to be electrical, emanating from above the utility room. Dein, along with his wife and children, escaped the home without injury. There were also no injuries to firefighters.

The Red Cross was on scene and provided assistance the family.