Fire Damages Apartment Complex in Effingham Saturday Night

Four tenants and their families have been displaced after fire damaged their apartment complex in Effingham Saturday night.

The Effingham Fire Department was dispatched at 10:57pm for reported structure fire in the 700 block of West Jefferson Street. Upon arrival, firefighters reported that a shed was fully involved behind a 4-unit apartment building at 701 Franklin Avenue.

A full-still alarm was initiated with both Teutopolis and Watson's departments changing quarters with Engines to both Effingham stations.

The rear of the apartment building was heavily damaged by fire. Crews used thermal imaging cameras and found heavy smoke damage in the attic space with signs of fire extension near the exterior wall.

Photo by Kayla Endebrock

All four tenants of the apartment building were displaced, and the fire department reported in a release that all had made arrangements to stay with friends or family.

There were no injuries reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Crews cleared the scene at 1:03 am Sunday morning.