Structure Fires in Dieterich, Wheeler

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Published on January 17 2019 10:38 am
Last Updated on January 17 2019 3:50 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Two fires in two hours kept Dieterich and other area firefighters scrambling Wednesday evening.

 

Dieterich Fire Chief Ross Martin said the first fire was reported just after 5pm in Dieterich at the home of Mitchell and Shelby Koebele on Center Street, right along Route 33 in Dieterich, east of Meyer Funeral Home. Martin said no one was at home at the time of the fire. He said there was damage to more than 60% of the structure.

Martin said he is working with an Illinois State Fire Marshal's office representative to determine the cause of the fire.

The second fire was reported about 7pm at a residence on the east edge of Wheeler on the north side of Route 33. Martin said that fire was confined to one room because the residents had the door closed to the room affected. 

There was no one at home at the residence in Wheeler. Martin did not have the names of the residents.

Both fires necessitated the routing of traffic off Route 33 and onto alternate routes to avoid the scenes.

Martin said Dieterich firefighters were assisted by fire companies from Shumway, Crooked Creek, Effingham, Altamont, Sigel, Watson, Wade Township and Teutopolis. Crews from Jasper Ambulance and Abbott EMS as well as the American Red Cross were on hand, as well. Martin said 24 different fire apparatus were involved in battling the fires.

The time of the fires was made even busier when Effingham firefighters were called out onto the interstate due to a report of a truck fire. No one was injured in that incident.

Regarding the fire in Wheeler, Martin said firefighters were able to save well over 95% of the structure since the door was closed to the room where the fire is believed to have started. He said keeping the door closed prevented damage to a recent addition to the home.

Martin suggested keeping doors in a home closed is a practice to consider.