Home in Altamont Total Loss Due to Fire

A home in Altamont is a total loss, but no injuries resulted from a fire Thursday afternoon.

The fire totaled a house owned by Carla Crooker at 712 W. Jackson on the northwest side of Altamont. Altamont firefighters were called to the scene at 2:47pm.

Crooker's 14-year-old son Clayton had gotten home from school. Clayton said he saw the fire on the porch on the east side of the house, got the family's two dogs, and got out of the house. A neighbor summoned firefighters. Crooker works at Heartland Dental. She was getting her teeth cleaned there when her sister phoned about the fire.

Altamont Fire Chief Jon Becker said it was tough putting out the fire due to the nature of the construction of the home. There's no attic, which left little space to get the fire out before what was burning ignited another portion of the structure. Becker termed the house a total loss. He also summoned a State Fire Marshal's Office representative to help determine the cause of the fire. Becker is terming the fire "suspicious" at this point until more information can be gathered about what caused it.

Altamont firefighters were assisted by fire companies from Shumway, St. Elmo and Brownstown. Also assisting was the Altamont Police Department, Effingham County Sheriff's Department, Illinois State Police, Abbott EMS, Altamont Electric Department and Red Cross.

Crooker, son Clayton and 12-year-old daughter McKaiyla will be staying with Crooker's sister for now.