SerpApi.Org
GRAFTON — A weekend fire that broke out in a vehicle parked in the garage of a home in the Grafton Hills neighborhood of Grafton destroyed most of the house, authorities said Monday.
QEM Fire Protection District Chief Aaron Darr said firefighters were called at 5:53 p.m. on Saturday to the house at 472 Grafton Hills Drive for a report of a vehicle on fire in the garage.
“The garage was involved heavily” when firefighters arrived at the scene, Darr said. “It was an attached garage. There was a lot of fire and smoke coming out of the garage.”
The fire chief said all of the house’s occupants were already outside when firefighters arrived.
“We were able to pull one pet out, one dog,” he said.
The homeowner reported the fire had broken out in a vehicle parked in the garage.
QEM requested mutual aid from the Godfrey Fire Protection District, the Brighton Betsey Ann Fire Protection District, Fieldon Volunteer Fire Department, and Jerseyville Fire Department, which sent a ladder truck. The Jersey Community Hospital Ambulance was also at the scene.
“As far as the structure itself, that is a total loss,” Darr said. “The personal possessions, we did save the first floor and the basement. They had some heavy smoke and water damage, but they might be able to get some personal possessions out, like photographs.”
Besides the fire itself, firefighters also had to contend with Saturday’s sweltering temperatures.
“The heat was difficult to battle,” the QEM chief said. “We had to take numerous breaks. It was manpower-heavy. A couple of times, we were rotating in. The heat was getting to all of my guys.”
He said a neighboring house had minor heat damage to its exterior.
Firefighters were on the scene about five hours, said QEM Capt. Austin Darr, the chief’s son. Austin Darr said about 15 firefighters were involved in battling the blaze.
