No one was injured after a home southwest of Fairbury, along Livingston County Road 600 North, was destroyed by fire early Saturday.
Fairbury Fire Chief Josh Hoselton said they were dispatched at 3:06 a.m. for the structure fire with units enroute at 3:08 and arriving on the scene by 3:14. When crews arrived, the house was fully engulfed and a MABAS box alarm was requested bringing multiple departments to the scene, which wasn’t cleared until 7:30 a.m.
The homeowners were out of town at the time and a neighbor noticed the blaze, calling it in to 911 after a child observed an orange glow out of a window. The house was engulfed in flames when the neighbor arrived.
Despite the winds, the fire was contained from spreading to nearby buildings on the property, though a detached garage suffered minor damage. The home was a total loss, according to Hoselton.
The cause is under investigation. The fire occurred after a stormy night around the state with strong winds reported throughout Central Illinois and beyond.
Departments helping at the scene came from Forrest, Strawn, Pontiac, Chenoa, Cullom, Saunemin, Chatsworth, Colfax, Gridley, Cropsey and Anchor. Assistance was also provided by SELCAS, Fairbury Police, Livingston County Sheriff’s Department and Eastern Illini Electric.
