SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — A house in Springfield was destroyed on Thursday when a fire broke out, forcing firefighters to battle both the flames and the frigid temperatures.
Chief Brandon Blough said the fire happened at 1905 East Cook Street around 2:30 p.m. The structure was abandoned but was open for trespass. Neighbors reported at that one homeless man squats there on occasion.
Blough added that the winter conditions made firefighting efforts particularly difficult. The structural condition of the building and heavy fire forced firefighters to adopt a defensive stance to extinguish the fire, which caused the roof to collapse.
It is still unknown if anyone was inside the home when the fire started; investigators are still on the scene to determine if anyone was. No firefighters were hurt.
