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ALTON - Alton Fire Department and some other area firefighters rapidly extinguished a fully involved fire in the 1200 block of 9th Street Thursday night.
Deputy Alton Fire Chief Mark Harris said when firefighters arrived after an approximately 9 p.m. call, they found a vacant two-story house fully involved and starting to infringe on the house next door.
Harris said the firefighters did a remarkable job containing the fire in the two-story house and also preventing the second potential house fire.
“The fire only melted the siding on the second house because of the firefighters’ efforts,” Harris said. “We called in Godfrey and East Alton to come in and help and a shift back on duty. We had as many as five hose lines and an aerial apparatus at one time.”
Harris said the first house was a total loss and already fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. The good news is the firefighters prevented the fire from spreading. Harris said investigators were called to probe the scene to find the cause of the fire.
“I can’t say enough about the firefighters tonight,” Harris said of their efforts.
Firefighters handled not only bitter cold temperatures, but icy conditions and still were able to get the fire on the first home extinguished and prevent the second home from catching fire, which required a valiant effort, Harris said.
