Home Heavily Damaged by Fire in Effingham

A local resident escaped injury after her home was heavily damaged by fire Sunday afternoon. The Effingham Fire Department was called to the home of Judith Rodgers at 610 south Fifth street after a 911 call was received at 3:56pm.

When firefighters arrived, they found the front of the home fully engulfed and called a full still. Approximately 15 firefighters were on scene. Watson and Teutopolis crews covered Effingham's stations.

Photo courtesy of listener Brianne Martin

Crews attacked the front of the home first, but as Captain Bob Hoffman told us at the scene, crews were unable to immediately enter the residence due to the intensity of the fire. Once the flames were knocked down, firefighters were able to make entry and search the home for hot spots.

An unidentified man that was in the home believes the fire started in a trashcan. He told firefighters that he had put several cigarette butts into a trash can in the living room prior to the fire starting. A truck parked in front of the home was also destroyed by fire.

The family escaped without injury, but told firefighters their dog was unaccounted for.