Mattoon Fire Responds to Two-Story Commercial Building Fire

For Immediate Release – Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Mattoon Fire Responds to Two-Story Commercial Building Fire

The Mattoon Fire Department was dispatched to a possible structure fire at 214 S. 17th Street at 08:36 A.M. Tuesday morning July 2, 2024. Crews arrived on scene at 08:39 A.M to find a 2-story commercial building with light smoke showing from the second floor. Four (4) apartments occupied the second floor over a retail antique store. Crews pulled a hose line to the second floor where they found smoke coming from behind a closed apartment door. The crew forced entry into this apartment where they were met with heavy smoke and heat. The crew advanced into the apartment and were able to locate the fire in the living room and quickly extinguished the fire, while additional crews were conducting searches of the other apartments. The fire was brought under control within 10 minutes. It was determined that all occupants and pets from the other apartments were able to escape prior to the arrival of the fire department.

The fire was contained to the room of origin. A pet cat was located within the fire apartment and safely removed from the apartment uninjured. The fire apartment is considered uninhabitable until repairs can be made, this apartment sustained fire, smoke, and water damage. 2 people were displaced from this apartment. Other apartments have minor smoke damage, tenants of these apartments were able to occupy their apartments once it was deemed safe and were not displaced. There was water damage to the floor below within the antique store, directly under the fire apartment.

The 2 displaced occupants were offered assistance from the American Red Cross. Once the fire was extinguished, a fire department investigator began a cause and origin investigation. This fire is still under investigation; however, no foul play is suspected. All fire units cleared the scene at 11:15 A.M. and the property was turned back over to the owner.

The Mattoon Fire Department was assisted at this scene by: Coles/Moultrie 911 (Ccom), Charleston Fire Department, Mattoon Police Department, Ameren gas and electric, and the American Red Cross.